LGC buys Forensic Alliance
Two of the biggest suppliers of forensic services have merged.
Two of the biggest suppliers of forensic services have merged.
LGC, an independent provider of analytical and diagnostic services, has acquired
Forensic Alliance Limited, the UKs largest provider of forensic science services.
The new company believes it will be better placed to serve police customers under the introduction of formal tendering across the UK forces.
LGCs forensic expertise includes DNA profiling, digital crime units, questioned documents, forensic drug analysis and toxicology. FAL provides a complete range of services across all areas of mainstream forensic science, in addition to more specialist offerings including forensic ecology (e.g. entomology, palynology, soils, anthropology and archaeology), integrated pathology and specialist firearms examination and ballistics.
Announcing the acquisition, Dr Nigel Law, Chief Executive of LGC said: The merger of FAL with LGCs Forensic Services division creates a powerful player in the forensic science market. In addition to benefiting from our world-class forensic solutions, new and existing police force, court and private sector customers will undoubtedly also benefit from improved turnaround times and efficiencies in procurement.
Dr Angela Gallop, Chief Executive, Forensic Alliance, will lead the combined forensic business and becomes a Director of LGC Group Holdings plc. She commented: This is a significant development for the market because, by fusing our two teams, we are creating a truly dynamic, comprehensive forensic resource – providing excellence across the whole forensic spectrum from the most simple to the most complex of cases, and with greater capacity to meet rising demand for our services.
The acquisition of Forensic Alliance will increase LGCs staff from 780 employees to over 1,000. LGC is headquartered in Teddington, Middlesex, with other UK laboratories in Runcorn and Edinburgh, and the Group will now be strengthened by the addition of FALs laboratories in Culham (Oxfordshire), Risley (Cheshire), Tamworth (Stafford-shire) and a specialist firearms facility within the Royal Armouries based in Leeds.