The deal, for which no selling price or completion date has been announced, is subject to customary closing conditions. Anil Jain, Gangwal,’s founder, will continue to lead the company.

Barentz said the acquisition of the company that is “growing significantly” in the distribution of specialty ingredients for nutraceuticals and cosmetics represents an important step in its strategy to become a leading global specialty pharmaceutical and nutraceutical active ingredient distributor.

The Dutch distributor said the deal will deepen its footprint in the pharma excipient distribution market as well as widening its geographic exposure in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region. Gangwal provides excellent scope for further growth opportunities, organically and through acquisition in India and Asia-Pacific, it added.

Hidde van der Wal, CEO of Barentz, commented that his company has been keen to enter the Indian market for a long time, and in Gangwal has found the right partner. Van der Wal told CMI earlier this year that Barentz has a “selective but active” buy-and-build strategy to create global leadership in the life science distribution market, which allows it to strengthen its existing geographical regions and develop new regions.

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist