Strategic Diagnostics Inc., a provider of antibody products and analytical test kits for the food safety and water quality markets, has reported signing a merger agreement to acquire AZUR Environmental — a privately held manufacturer of proprietary rapid test systems to measure toxicity in environmental and process waters.
The company anticipates initiating a sales and marketing agreement with AZUR to enable it to begin selling the AZUR products. At the closing of the merger SDI intends to consolidate the AZUR U.S. and U.K. facilities into SDI's U.S. and U.K. operations. SDI anticipates that the consolidation will make the AZUR acquisition slightly accretive to earnings for the year 2001.
AZUR Environmental is a provider of innovative analytical systems for monitoring water quality throughout the world. More than 2,000 customers in over 59 countries have used their Microtox® Test System to provide timely and reliable data regarding water toxicity. In addition to the Microtox Test System, AZUR has exclusive distribution rights in the U.S. to the InSpectra™ Analyzer, which offers a unique instrumental approach for the measurement of contaminants frequently measured in water treatment facilities.
"The addition of the AZUR product line enhances our presence in the water quality testing market. By being able to offer both the AZUR and SDI products, we expect the general acceptance of both to be enhanced," commented Richard C. Birkmeyer, president and CEO of SDI. "Now SDI can offer customers a inexpensive way to monitor their influent/effluent water supply on a daily basis with the Microtox test, and if they obtain a positive result, we offer a suite of products to test for the individual contaminants."
SDI is a provider of biotechnology-based diagnostic tests for a broad range of agricultural, industrial, and water treatment applications. Through its antibody business, Strategic BioSolutions, Strategic Diagnostics also provides antibody and immunoreagent research and development services.
Source: Business Wire
