For example, last year LGC acquired Italian firm Erre Emme Reference Materials and opened a new sales office in Italy, and also bought German standards and analytical services company Mikromol.
The first new Polish agreement is a collaboration which builds on LGC's existing relationship with the Warsaw-based institute. IPO has been a supplier of reference materials to LGC and its reference material distribution business, LGC Promochem, for many years.
LGC and IPO have already embarked on their first joint project where LGC is using its market knowledge to guide IPO in the development of impurities in pharmaceuticals and pesticides for use as reference materials. In addition, the two partners will jointly bid for EU and other funding for research and development programmes.
The agreement also includes provision for exchange visits and training for IPO scientists.
The second agreement is a five-year distribution agreement, strengthening the existing relationship between LGC and IPO, under which IPO has supplied reference materials to LGC for distribution outside Poland.With immediate effect, LGC Promochem becomes the worldwide exclusive distributor for IPO reference materials, except in Poland where IPO will be a co-distributor.
Both parties say they expect the alliance to announce further similar collaborations in the future.