Global veterinary, pharmaceutical and animal health business Bimeda has announced the acquisition of South Africa’s leading animal health distributor, Afrivet Southern Africa. Afrivet, based in Pretoria, boasted 2021 revenues of over €25m. The company also has operating divisions in Zambia and Mozambique, which are included in the acquisition.

The acquisition will provide Bimeda with the largest footprint of any animal health company on the African continent. It is the latest activity under Bimeda’s ongoing expansion programme, in which the company increased its geographic footprint and entered new industry sectors in recent years. In the past five years alone, Bimeda has entered into the aquaculture and vaccine sectors via acquisitions in the US, set up a greenfield organisation in Denmark, constructed and commissioned a sterile injectable facility in China and established a global innovation centre in Ireland. Bimeda is headquartered in Ireland and employs almost 100 people here.