Barentz International, a global life science ingredients distributor, has announced that it has acquired Viachem, Ltd., a specialty distributor of life science ingredients and specialty chemicals. The team will continue to be led by Mike Efting, Viachem’s president and founder, and its offices will remain in Plano, Texas and Augusta, Georgia.

Highlights of what Viachem brings to the acquisition include:

• In-house market development function to identify, research, and qualify market opportunities for new and existing product lines.
• Digital marketing capabilities to drive targeted customer development efforts and lead qualification.
• Technical sales team that utilizes a systematic sales process to identify new market opportunities and provide customers with a high-touch service model.
• Portfolio of blue-chip product lines that are synergistic with the Barentz portfolio.

Hidde van der Wal, group CEO of Barentz, commented, “Viachem has developed sales and marketing capabilities that are unique in the industry and we’re thrilled to welcome Mike and his team into the Barentz organization. By combining these capabilities with Barentz’ global scale, technical expertise, and extensive digital infrastructure, we see significant opportunity to expand market share for our customers and principal suppliers.”

Terry Hill, CEO of Barentz North America, said, “Every successful acquisition begins with the people, and we’re excited for what the Viachem team will bring to Barentz. Since its founding, Viachem recognized that our industry is evolving and that best-in-class distributors need to develop new tools and processes in order to evolve in parallel with the industry. This transaction is a testament to Mike Efting’s strategic vision and how that vision can be accelerated under Barentz.”

Efting added, “Our vision at Viachem has always been to change the way chemicals and ingredients are bought and sold. When we set out to find the best long-term home for Viachem’s employees, customers, and principals – while remaining true to our vision – we quickly identified that Barentz had all the attributes we were seeking. The entrepreneurial culture, commitment to digital tools, global scale, and a portfolio of synergistic product lines were a few of our requirements and Barentz checked every box. We are excited for what the future holds with Barentz.”

For more information, visit: www.barentz.com.