Alpha has doubled in size in the past six years, according to its president Mark Woelfel, increasing revenues, hiring new staff and experiencing “an overall surge in growth and financial stability”. Building on this success the company has acquired Boston Analytical (BA).
“We thought that it was important to diversify outside of the environmental markets”, explained Woelfel, adding that Alpha plans to expand its capabilities to capitalise on being “located right next door to the biggest biotechnology market right here in Massachusetts”.
Contract research organisation (CRO) BA operates a current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) compliant laboratory, from which it offers services including stability testing and storage and cleaning validations.
Woelfel believes this service offering is “a great product” but thinks the companies “need to do a better job marketing [their] services to prospective clients”. Following the acquisition Alpha will support BA’s marketing and sales operations, as well as management, capital and technology.
Alpha was attracted to the “great reputation” of BA and also liked that it has “had the same ownership and management structure for over 23 years”, explained Woelfel.
Consequently Alpha intends to leave BA’s infrastructure in place, with the CRO retaining its name, staff and continuing to operate on its own run by the existing CEO, president and management team.
Woelfel added that “the strengths exhibited by both companies in customer service, reliability, and project turn-around-time, will enable the delivery of product and service enhancements to meet the needs of all customers”.
These traits have allowed Alpha to grow despite the challenging economic climate and diversification into the “growing life sciences industry” is intended to help continue this upwards trend.