Neogen Corporation, a developer, manufacturer and marketer of a range of products dedicated to food and animal safety, has acquired the stock of United Kingdom-based Lab M Holdings, a developer, manufacturer and supplier of microbiological culture media and diagnostic systems.

Lab M was founded in 1971, and has grown into a leading provider of microbial testing and diagnostic products for the global food, water, industrial and clinical testing markets. The company currently sells into more than 70 countries worldwide, and has several large customers in the European Union, Middle East and India.

“The combination of Lab M’s quality products with our Acumedia product line will make Neogen a leading global company in the traditional microbiology market, as well as give us new tools we can incorporate into our food safety diagnostics to enhance our products,” said James Herbert, Neogen’s CEO and chairman.

Lab M is headquartered in an accredited facility in Heywood, England, near Manchester. Neogen will maintain Lab M’s current facility, and its operations will be managed by Neogen’s Scotland-based Neogen Europe subsidiary.

“Adding Lab M’s complementary products and new capabilities to ours will greatly strengthen what we can offer Neogen’s existing food safety customers, as well as expand the reach of Neogen’s existing products to Lab M’s wide-ranging customer base,” said Dr. Stephen Holmes, managing director of Neogen Europe. “Lab M’s prepared media is a new product line for us, and its patents and licenses will greatly enhance our efforts to develop new products to detect foodborne pathogens.”

Lab M’s retiring chairman Colin Goodwille welcomed the opportunity for two strong brands, Lab M and Acumedia, to combine and enhance Neogen’s global food safety business.

“I am confident that Lab M has found an excellent home with Neogen, and wish the Lab M team and its many customers and suppliers every success as part of Neogen’s expanding business,” Goodwille said.