Cawthron sells wine testing lab to Hill in 'multi-million dollar deal'

Friday 23rd March 2012

Hill Laboratories, specialists in agricultural, environmental and food testing, has agreed to buy the Cawthron Institute’s Marlborough wine testing laboratory in what is described as a “multi-million dollar deal.”

The Cawthron Institute, researchers of coastal and freshwater systems, will transfer the operation of its Marlborough lab to Hill Laboratories in June following due diligence, it said in a statement. Nelson-based Cawthron’s environmental chemistry testing programme is also included in the sale. No price was disclosed.

“It is a pretty significant multi-million dollar deal,” said Martin Lovell a spokesperson for Hill Laboratories told BusinessDesk. “The Marlborough lab has about five to six people in it – it is predominately a wine lab which is one of the reasons we are interested in it.”

Hill Laboratories recently opened a new wine lab in Christchurch, launching its Vine to Vintage wine testing service.

The Marlborough lab is already export testing certified and fits well with our plans to expand further into the wine market, Hill said in a statement.

(BusinessDesk)

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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