Intertek Group’s Oil, Chemical and Agri division (Caleb Brett) has acquired Alta Analytical Laboratories, Inc., a supplier of immunochemistry and LC/MS/MS bio-analytical services to the pharma and biopharma industries in North America. Alta has labs in San Diego and labs near Sacramento, CA with approximately 110 staff.

The acquisition is part of Intertek’s strategic growth plan to support global pharma and biopharma industries by providing extensive method development capabilities and a range of state-of-the-art analytical testing services.

Intertek’s executive vice president and chief executive officer of the Caleb Brett Division, Mark Loughead, commented, “Alta has earned an outstanding reputation for quality and service and its expertise will further expand our ability to respond to the needs of the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry for outsourced R&D and testing support. It establishes a firm platform for further development for Intertek in the U.S.” Intertek currently provides testing services to clients from its laboratories in the UK.

Bob Bethem and Jo Smolec, Ph.D., the Alta Analytical Laboratory business heads, commented, “Acquisition by Intertek allows Alta the ability to invest in the next phase of expansion to grow our services and offer extended expertise to our existing clients. Becoming part of Intertek’s global business and reach provides a powerful opportunity to expand our bio-analytical services to existing and new international customers and markets.”