An Abingdon business has been sold to a scientific group.

Orchid Cellmark Limited, also known as Cellmark Forensic Services, has been sold to Eurofins Scientific Group.

The sale was brokered by corporate finance specialists Watersheds.

The sale of the company, one of the largest suppliers of forensic analysis services to the police, has strengthened the criminal justice forensic sector.

Cellmark is the UK's leading DNA paternity testing laboratory and carries out forensic analysis at crime scenes.

The company also provides specialist laboratory analysis and interpretation services to support the investigation of criminal activity.

This includes forensic analysis and case review for the defence and provides DNA relationship analysis and drug and alcohol testing to government departments, the legal community, and members of the public.

The sale of the company was the culmination of a relationship built over a number of years, with Watersheds having previously advised on Cellmark’s acquisition of Pinmoore Animal Laboratory Services Ltd (PALS) in 2022.

Given that Cellmark and Eurofins Forensic Services Ltd (owned by the Eurofins Scientific Group) both hold significant market share in the UK forensic testing market, clearance was required from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for the acquisition to take place.

John Stopher, Watersheds partner, said: "The process of gaining CMA approval for the transaction to be cleared is uncommon for a deal of this size, so this was a fairly unusual one for us.

"Whilst this did add another layer of complexity to the deal, we were very pleased to have the acquisition approved and so deliver an outcome that not only suited both the buyer and seller, but also fortified the forensic sector as a whole and its contribution to the criminal justice system.

"Unusual situations often present additional challenges, so it was important for us to ensure that the shareholders felt well-supported throughout the entire process in order to help drive a successful outcome.

"Throughout our time working with the shareholders, we’ve assisted with both the acquisition of PALS and the sale of Cellmark, demonstrating our ability to adapt and add value for our clients in a range of different scenarios."

David Hartshorne, former Cellmark managing director and shareholder, said: "Watersheds is a great organisation to have on your side.

"They have a wealth of experience and expertise and provided valuable analysis and advice during our acquisition and subsequent business sale.

"In particular, we really valued their personal approach to doing business and felt very supported by the team.

"The Watersheds team was proactive and showed considerable tenacity and commitment to help drive both processes to successful conclusions."