Big News: Leading Global Company Bureau Veritas Acquires Qualibet Testing Services Corp.

Local testing company Qualibet Testing Services Corp. is going global, thanks to a partnership with one of the world’s leading companies in testing and certification.

Dubbed as one of the biggest acquisitions for a Filipino chemist, Qualibet Testing Services Corporation is now part of the global testing, inspection, and certification services company Bureau Veritas. Per the terms of the acquisition, the French company owns 51% of the shares, while Qualibet Testing Services owns the remaining 49%.

“Today, I, Pinky Pe Tobiano [am] officially signing off as the CEO of Qualibet and signing in as [a] Board of Director of QUALIBET-BVAQ,” writes Pinky Pe Tobiano in an Instagram post announcing the acquisition.

“May all our friends and client continue to support the new QUALIBET-BVAQ and make it a part of their food, feed, mining, water, [and] pharmaceutical analysis. And allow Bureau Veritas [to] be your choice for ISO Certification,” she adds. “Proudly standing as a Filipino chemist—dreaming of a global voice through Bureau Veritas! TwoGether, we conquer the world!”

The Significance of the Acquisition

Tobiano’s Instagram post describes Bureau Veritas as a global conglomerate “with 140 laboratories all over the world and 86,000 employees perfecting the field of laboratory testing and certification with a reported 2021 global revenue of EU 4.8 billion [around PHP 282.55 billion].”

“One of the largest, strongest, and most credible testing laboratories and certification bodies in the world,” she says.

On the other hand, Qualibet Testing Services Corporation is best known as a local company that offers chemical and microbiology testing and analysis of food, cosmetics, feeds, and pharmaceuticals. 

Through the acquisition by Bureau Veritas, Qualibet is propelled to the global stage, which will in turn highlight the skills of Filipino scientists on an international scale. “As a chemist, I want my voice to be heard not only in the Philippines, but all over the world,” Tobiano says in her post.

“I want the world to know that a Filipino chemist can inspire, aspire and make a difference in the paradigm of laboratory analysis, validation, and theories—that a Filipino chemist is at par with global excellence,” she goes on to add.

Microbiology Testing Market

According to Data Bridge Market Research, the global microbiology testing market is predicted to witness significant growth within the next few years. In fact, it is expected to account for $8.24 billion (around PHP 452.04 billion) by 2029. 

The forecasted growth in the Asia-Pacific region, in particular, is “due to the increase in government initiatives to promote awareness, rise in medical tourism, growing research activities in the region, favorable regulatory scenario to improve the adoption rate for microbiology testing, and other advanced diagnostic methods and the growing demand for quality healthcare in the region.” 

This is a positive sign for those looking for business opportunities within the market, especially when taking into consideration the increase in public-private funding for target research activities, as well as the growing awareness about aerobic and anaerobic tests. 

With that being said, entrepreneurs may consider exploring business opportunities that can provide more affordable and low-cost clinical microbiology products to the public or easier access to laboratory testing.