• DE
Choose your location?
  • Global Global
  • Australian flag Australia
  • French flag France
  • German flag Germany
  • Irish flag Ireland
  • Italian flag Italy
  • Polish flag Poland
  • Qatar flag Qatar
  • Spanish flag Spain
  • UAE flag UAE
  • UK flag UK

DWF advises the partners of Laborizon on the sale of a majority shareholding to Biogroup

06 August 2020

DWF, with Viguié Schmidt & Associés and Weil Gotshal & Manges, have advised Laborizon on the sale of a majority shareholding to Biogroup.

Biogroup have acquired close to 75% of Laborizon's share capital, following approval by the French Competition Authority. The former partners of Laborizon remain significantly invested through a new holding company within the scope of Biogroup's Western region of France. These operations follow a competitive process initiated at the end of 2019.

Laborizon, a group owned by its medical biologists and Bpifrance for the past 4 years, is the leader in medical biology in the Western region of France. Operating 105 laboratories, including 6 technical platforms in the Centre-Val of Loire, Bretagne, Pays de la Loire and Ile-de-France regions, Laborizon generated pro-forma sales of more than 160 million euros in 2019 and has doubled in size since its creation in 2016 thanks to the completion of more than 15 acquisitions. 

Biogroup, a group created and majority owned by Stéphane Eimer, is the leading independent player in medical biology in France with pro-forma sales of 880 million euros. The group offers a range of routine and specialty analyses and operates more than 670 medical biology laboratory sites located mainly in Eastern France (Alsace, Lorraine, Franche-Comté and Burgundy), Ile-de-France, Nouvelle Aquitaine, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Rhône-Alpes. 

The amount of this operation, which is significant for the sector, is confidential.

Three law firms collectively represented the partners of Laborizon in this transaction:

DWF and Viguié Schmidt & Associés advised on the structuring of the transaction and on the reinvestment aspects within the Biogroup group. DWF also advised more specifically on the corporate aspects with Alexandre Piette, partner, and Hérine Oualembo; and Viguié Schmidt & Associés on tax and regulatory aspects alongside Christel Alberti, partner, Maxence Dubois and Mélanie Teixeira.

Weil Gotshal & Manges assisted on the disposal aspects with Frédéric Cazals, partner, Adina Mihaescu and Vincent Chaudet on corporate and Romain Ferla, partner, on competition.

Laborizon's management was advised by Delaby & Dorison on tax issues, with Emmanuel Delaby, partner, and Florian Tumoine, and by CGA Avocats on corporate issues, along with Alexandre Gaudin, partner, and Thomas Brillet.

Further Reading