Cotecna, a leading inspection, testing and certification company, is integrating CoalLab, a leader in South Africa in the field of coal and other materials testing, sampling systems design and management, and consulting. CoalLab, a privately owned company, was founded in 2007, and operates several on-site sampling and testing facilities, in addition to its own laboratory in Middleburg (province of Mpumalanga).

Robert Massey, Cotecna Group CEO, said; “The acquisition and integration of CoalLab into the Cotecna group significantly enhances our capabilities to service our customers in the coal and minerals industry globally. It also represents an important step in the expansion of our footprint in the commodities sector in Southern Africa, and on the continent as a whole, where we see a significant growth potential.”

For Johan Bekker, co-founder and Managing Director of CoalLab, “The integration into the Cotecna Group provides CoalLab and its team with the support and global network of a strategic investor, and the opportunity to grow to its full potential in South Africa and beyond.” Bekker will remain as Managing Director of the company.

Founded in Switzerland in 1974, the Cotecna group offers a wide range of testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services. It is a pioneer in areas such as risk management, destination inspection and scanner integration projects for customs administrations. Cotecna verifies contractual compliance for a wide range of commodities and consumer goods and also provides trade finance services for lenders and financiers.

CoalLab offers a wide range of services in the field of testing, sampling systems design and management, as well as consulting, in the coal and other minerals sectors in South and southern Africa.