Brookfield and CDPQ Acquire Antylia Scientific for $1.3 Billion

Antylia Scientific, headquartered in Vernon Hills, Illinois, specializes in providing critical consumables and testing equipment for biopharmaceutical, clinical diagnostic, and environmental testing industries. The company operates five brands, including the notable Cole-Parmer Essentials, and offers over 200,000 laboratory equipment products. Its fastest-growing division focuses on equipment used in infectious disease diagnostics and wastewater analysis.

Brookfield's private equity arm, Brookfield Business Partners, is investing approximately $160 million for a 25% economic interest in Antylia. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, pending customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

CDPQ, managing assets of approximately C$473 billion ($339.4 billion), is participating as a significant minority shareholder in the acquisition. Martin Longchamps, CDPQ's Executive Vice President and Head of Private Equity and Private Credit, stated, “We are investing with our long-standing partner Brookfield in Antylia, a business supplying critical products to professionals in the life and environmental sciences sectors. Together, we see an opportunity to support its continued growth and reinforce its position as a market leader.”

The acquisition allows GTCR, a Chicago-based private equity firm, to exit its investment in Antylia. GTCR initially carved out Antylia from Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2014. In 2021, Antylia sold its Masterflex division, specializing in pumps used for fluid transfer during the production of monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and cell and gene therapies, to Avantor for $2.9 billion.

Financial advisors for the transaction included Goldman Sachs and Jefferies. The acquisition underscores the growing interest of private equity firms in the life sciences sector, driven by advancements in biotechnology and increased demand for laboratory equipment.

Brookfield Asset Management, with over $1 trillion in assets under management, continues to diversify its investment portfolio across renewable power, infrastructure, private equity, real estate, and credit. This acquisition aligns with Brookfield's strategy to invest in high-margin, recurring-revenue businesses within the healthcare sector.

The deal is anticipated to bolster Antylia Scientific's growth trajectory and solidify its position as a market leader in the life sciences equipment industry.