Bunzl has acquired Melbourne-based laboratory equipment supplier, Interpath Services.

Interpath is principally engaged in the distribution of a variety of laboratory and healthcare related consumable products to the pathology, medical research and life science end user markets in Australia.

Customers include public and private hospitals and other pathology and research laboratories. Revenue in the year ended June 2017 was A$22 million.

Bunzl has also entered into an agreement to acquire Talge in Brazil. Talge, which is based in Santa Catarina, is principally engaged in the sale of a variety of foodservice related products, mainly to redistributors in the southeast region of Brazil. Revenue in the year ended December 2016 was R$83 million (c.£20 million).

Completion of the acquisition is subject to clearance of the transaction by the Brazilian competition authority.

The acquisitions come as Bunzl completes its takeover of Hedis, Comptoir de Bretagne and Générale Collectivités, that was first announced in July 2017, following clearance of the transaction by the French Competition Authority.

Commenting on the acquisitions, Frank van Zanten, CEO of Bunzl said: “I am delighted that we have now completed the purchase of Hedis, Comptoir de Bretagne and Générale Collectivités. Together these businesses further expand our existing cleaning and hygiene operations in France and extend our business there into the catering equipment sector for the first time.

“The acquisition of Interpath has enhanced our healthcare business in Australia and extended our product offering into the pathology, medical research and life science markets there, while the proposed purchase of Talge will expand our operations into the foodservice sector in Brazil.”