Barentz has acquired Viachem

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The global life science ingredients distributor, Barentz (Hoofddorp, The Netherlands), has acquired Viachem Ltd. (Plano, TX), a specialty distributor of life science ingredients and specialty chemicals. The acquisition represents a market growth engine for Barentz and its principal suppliers because of Viachem’s dedicated market research and digitally enabled sales and marketing capabilities. Mike Efting, Viachem’s president & founder, will continue to lead the team, and offices will remain in Plano, TX and Augusta, GA.

“Viachem has developed sales and marketing capabilities that are unique in the industry and we’re thrilled to welcome Mike and his team into the Barentz organization,” said Hidde van der Wal, Group CEO of Barentz, in a press release. “By combining these capabilities with Barentz’ global scale, technical expertise, and extensive digital infrastructure, we see significant opportunity to expand market share for our customers and principal suppliers.”

“Our vision at Viachem has always been to change the way chemicals and ingredients are bought and sold,” said Efting. “When we set out to find the best long-term home for Viachem’s employees, customers, and principals – while remaining true to our vision – we quickly identified that Barentz had all the attributes we were seeking. The entrepreneurial culture, commitment to digital tools, global scale, and a portfolio of synergistic product lines were a few of our requirements and Barentz checked every box. We are excited for what the future holds with Barentz.”