AsiaNet  87486

GENEVA, Jan. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Cotecna is pleased to announce the acquisition of Fitosoil Laboratorios SL, a

leading Spanish laboratory in the agriculture and food safety market. Founded

and managed by Don Antonio Abellán, Fitosoil employs 70 highly qualified

technicians in its laboratory based in Murcia.

Fitosoil provides its clients with a complete range of services from agronomy

to chemical testing on a wide range of products, with a focus on fruits and

vegetables and fertilizers. Fitosoil holds a leading position in the fertilizer

sector, for which they have developed advanced analytical techniques at

international level and enjoy one of the largest accreditation scopes in

Europe.

The acquisition of Fitosoil, following the ones of NOFA in the Netherlands and

NEOTRON in Italy, allows Cotecna to further expand its European laboratory

network and expertise in the food safety sector. With more than 5000 employees

and a network of over 100 offices and laboratories around the world, Cotecna is

a leading provider of Testing, Inspection and Certification services (TIC) in

the agriculture and food supply chains.

"This acquisition is part of our strategy to expand our presence in the food

testing market and increases our service portfolio in the broader agri-food

segment. Fitosoil unique reputation and analytical skills in the fertilizer,

agronomy and fruit and vegetable sectors strengthens Cotecna's offering and

capabilities to support the trend for more organic and sustainable farming.

Fitosoil also reinforces our position in Spain which is a key growth area for

the Group," said Sébastien Dannaud, CEO of Cotecna.

Don Antonio Abellán, Managing Director of Fitosoil Laboratorios SL, and his

team will continue leading Fitosoil on its new journey within the Cotecna

group. "I am pleased to join the Cotecna family. I saw in Cotecna the same

spirit and founding principles that have shaped the development of Fitosoil:

entrepreneurship, family business approach, technical predominance. The

international network of Cotecna will certainly provide growth opportunities

for Fitosoil and the complementarities with its current inspection,

certification and testing activities are very strong".

Cotecna Press

Corporate Communications

+41 22 849 78 21

communication@cotecna.com

Guido DORI

Chief Development Officer

Cotecna Inspection SA

M +41 79 123 50 69

Direct Line: +41 22 849 69 33

Julie ENGELEN

Corporate Communication Director

T. +41 22 849 78 21

M +41 79 123 44 24

www.cotecna.com

About Cotecna

Cotecna is a leading provider of testing, inspection and certification

services. We offer solutions to facilitate trade and make supply chains safer

and more efficient for our clients. Our trusted network of professionals and

certified laboratories provide expertise across five key sectors: government &

trade solutions, agriculture, food safety, minerals & metals, and consumer

goods & retail. Founded in Switzerland in 1974, Cotecna started off as a family

business and has now grown to become a world-class international player with

over 5,000 employees in more than 100 offices across approximately 50 countries.

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Source: Cotecna