A group of private and independent French laboratories, created in 2006 in Nîmes, Phytocontrol is an expert in the analysis of contaminants for food and environmental safety. He has just announced the start of construction on a new laboratory 5 500 m2 to support its growth. Present in six European countries and in Morocco, the group, which employs nearly 400 employees and achieves nearly €35 million in turnover (2022), is in fact experiencing growth in its activity of more than 20% per year.
Strong growth activity
In fact, the group has achieved several external growth operations over the past four years, which have significantly boosted its business. At the end of 2020, it acquired the digital traceability solution Zest HACCPP which supports its clients in the area of health control plans. The same year he bought the auditing and inspection company Food Expert Institute. Two years later, the Nîmes native got his hands on the Laboratoire All Phyto – LPPAMspecializing in the analysis of medicinal plants and ingredients of natural origin. In 2023, it is the turn of LARB (Roussière-Bec Agricultural Laboratory) and Laboratory to fall into the hands of the group.
With these different areas of expertise, Phytocontrol now offers a wide range of technical solutions and complete support in laboratory analyses, regulatory monitoring, training, quality audits, hygiene advice and health traceability. But too cramped in its current infrastructure of 5,000 m2, the group began construction this spring of a second building with avant-garde architecture.
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It will bring together all of the group’s strategic activities across its three markets : AgriFood (agri-food), Waters (water and environment) and Biopharma (Cosmetics, Pharma, Agrosciences, Chemicals & Materials). It will also house the group’s subsidiaries: Phytocontrol Audit, Consulting & Training, as well as Zest HACCP. This additional space was sized to accommodate 300 additional employeestechnicians and scientists in order to adapt to the changes in activity expected in the coming years.
Ultimately, the whole should constitute a 12,000 m² analytical platform, “one of the largest and most technological in Europe”assures the group in a press release dated May 27, 2024. Phytocontrol, which has invested nearly 15 M€ in these new facilities, intends to better meet the analysis needs of its customers, but also to strengthen its R&D department and ensure complete control of its supply chain.
CSR at the heart of the project
While the project places great emphasis on artificial intelligence and process automation, with rooms dedicated to contaminant analysis, R&D, microbiology, biotechnology and technical services designed to accommodate ultra modern equipment and a large production capacity, the RSE remains at the center of the project. And Mikaël Bresson, president of the Phytocontrol group, clarified:
As quality and working conditions are a priority for Phytocontrol, we wanted to offer our employees fulfillment and development of their potential. More than 400 m² will be dedicated to their well-being, in particular thanks to a roof terrace and a creativity room.
The new laboratory is also environmentally friendlyits designers having favored the purchase of sustainable materials from mainly local service providers. In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, the group is also planning to install photovoltaic panels intended to produce part of the electricity it consumes, as well as an energy recovery system.
