Henry Schein Animal Health will expand into Canada and Italy upon the acquisition of fellow veterinary products and services distributor Scil Animal Care Co. The takeover of Germany-based Scil will strengthen Henry Schein Animal Health in the specialty diagnostics market. Among Scil’s product lines are chemistry and hematology analyzers, digital radiography and dental equipment, ultrasound machines, laboratory software, surgical power tools and orthopedic implants. Scil, which employs 200 people and does about $70 million in annual sales, also provides product training and veterinary education. The company operates primarily in the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Henry Schein Animal Health reported 2013 sales of $2.6 billion. The acquisition by parent company Henry Schein Inc. was announced Monday and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2015. The purchase price was not released. All Scil employees, including CEO Hartmut Jaissle, Dr.Med.Vet., will stay with Henry Schein Animal Health. Henry Schein Inc. CEO Stanley M. Bergman called Scil’s specialty diagnostics business “a critical element to help veterinarians provide high-quality care and increase practice revenues.” “The Scil Animal Care professionals will enhance our animal health business’ equipment sales and support capabilities,” Bergman said. “This will be a significant step forward in expanding our diagnostics product category and gaining market share for our animal health diagnostics partners, including Abaxis Inc. and Heska Corp.” Adding Canada and Italy will put Henry Schein Animal Health in 17 countries. The Dublin, Ohio-based division now serves the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and 11 other European locations: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.
