Cormica expands US presence with acquisition of Focus Laboratories

Cormica continues expansion with acquisition of microbiological testing firm, Focus Laboratories, following strategic German acquisition

28 January 2025 -- Reichenau, Germany -- Cormica, a leading global medical device and pharmaceuticals testing group, has announced its acquisition of Focus Laboratories, which operates facilities in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Palm Harbor, Florida.
The news quickly follows Cormica’s acquisition of Zwisler Laboratorium in Reichenau, in the south of Germany and furthers Cormica's strategic goal of expanding its footprint across the US and Europe.

Focus Laboratories, originally founded in 1996, was acquired in 2016 by Tony Grilli and specialises in microbiological testing, including rapid microbiology and consulting for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device sectors. The acquisition will enable the business to leverage Cormica’s broader capabilities and resources, fostering organic growth and innovation.

Cormica helps life science manufacturers and medtech innovators to launch their products more rapidly, securely, and across more markets. The group has approximately 250 employees based across state-of-the-art laboratory facilities in the UK, US and Germany.

Focus Laboratories will benefit from Cormica’s New Jersey chemistry facility, TPM Laboratories, enabling it to offer clients a more comprehensive portfolio of tests essential for developing and bringing lifesaving medicines and devices to market.

Cormica’s acquisition of TPM Laboratories last year was its first in the US.

The group is backed by Limerston Capital, a UK mid-market private equity investment firm. The addition of Focus Laboratories alongside Zwisler Laboratorium, reinforces it as a global leader in testing and consulting services for life sciences, particularly in the rapidly expanding US and European markets.

Focus Laboratories’ founder Tony Grilli will remain in his leadership role, ensuring continuity for the team and clients.

Mark Hammond, CEO of Cormica Group, commented: “We have had a strong start to 2025, with the acquisition of Zwisler Laboratorium and now Focus Laboratories which underscores our commitment to building a strong presence in the US. Focus has an outstanding reputation in microbiological testing, and we look forward to working closely with Tony Grilli and his team to support their future growth."

Anthony Grilli, founder of Focus Laboratories, said: "This partnership significantly expands our service offering, giving us access to invaluable resources and expertise that will allow us to serve more of our clients' evolving needs while maintaining the exceptional quality and reliability they’ve come to expect from us.

"With a state-of-the-art analytical chemistry lab in New Jersey, we are now able to provide a more comprehensive suite of services critical to the development and market release of lifesaving medicines and devices.

“Cormica’s global reach, strong industry reputation, and extensive capabilities in pharmaceutical, medical device, and combination product testing empower us to collaborate more effectively, drive innovation, and deliver even greater value to our customers. This will help them to achieve faster, safer, and more efficient outcomes."

João Rosa Limerston Capital, added: "Cormica’s acquisition of Focus Laboratories supports our strategy to expand into high-growth markets within the life sciences, reinforcing our position as a leading operator in the sector. This partnership offers significant synergies, enabling us to address a wider array of client needs, from micro to analytical chemistry, and vice versa.

“Above all, we are focused on helping bring vital med tech innovations to patients, ensuring these advancements reach them safely and effectively. This commitment to patient care is at the heart of everything we do, and through this acquisition, we aim to show both our customers and future partners that our approach is centered not just on creating synergies, but on driving meaningful progress in the industry.”

About Cormica
Cormica Group (formerly known as WMP Group) is a medical device and pharmaceuticals testing group enabling life science manufacturers and med tech innovators to launch their products more quickly, more safely and to more markets. Limerston Capital LLP acquired Wickham Microbiology Ltd in September 2021 and Medical Engineering Technologies in May 2022, and Zwizler in Jan 2025 forming Cormica Group as the collective Group operates as today. Visit: https://www.cormica.com.

About Limerston Capital
Founded in 2015 by James Paget, João Rosa and Martim Avillez, London based Limerston Capital pursues control investments in UK mid-market companies and seeks to create value through the firm’s buy-and-build and operationally focused model. The firm targets businesses with EBITDA of between £5 million and £15 million that have a solid value proposition, but have potential for operational improvements, have mispriced underlying returns on capital and provide opportunities for strategic repositioning via consolidation. Visit: www.limerstoncap.com.