More pharma serialisation M&A as advanco buys Vantage

Consolidation among companies offering serialisation services to the pharma industry has continued with the takeover of Vantage Consulting Group by advanco.

The enlarged company – which will be known as advanco – claims to be the world’s largest independent provider of serialisation technologies for the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector with more than 100 blue-chip clients.

It said the merger of the two businesses will combine its established ARC platform solution for regulated track and trace with Vantage’s full automation, design, implementation, and validation engineering services, which cover everything from raw material handling right through to the distribution and warehouse stage.

Alf Goebel will remain chief executive of advanco, a position he has held since 2019, while Vantage’s president John Jordon will join the advanco leadership team, said the companies in a statement. Terms of the acquisition – which comes three years after advanco itself was bought by Rami Cassis’ private equity firm Parabellum Investments – have not been disclosed.

Goebel described the deal as “a strategic move, designed to offer clients a sophisticated suite of products and services across the full spectrum of the supply chain.”

Demand for serialisation solutions is expected to increase dramatically over the coming years due to increased stringent pharmaceutical regulation and the uptake of serialisation by sectors such as food, where Vantage has also been building a client case.

advanco said that as Industry 4.0 fuelled by data handling and machine learning continues to evolve, there is a growing emphasis on leveraging technology as machines become smarter and able to fully communicate with each other.

“At a time when the global supply chain is coming under intense pressure, thanks to ongoing supply issues, a fluctuating economy and a post-Covid hangover, clients can now benefit from multiple efficiency opportunities offered by technology and automation,” added Goebel.

Other recent examples of M&A in serialisation for pharma and other sectors include Marchesini’s takeover of SEA Vision last year, Engineering USA’s play for Movilitas, Markem-Imaje’s buyouts of Blue Bite and Systech, Antares Vision’s acquisitions of rfXcel and the assets of Adents after it went into administration, and Optel Vision’s takeovers of GeoTraceability and Verify brand.