StatLab Medical Products Buying Knittel

StatLab Medical Products is purchasing Waldemar Knittel Glasbearbeitungs GmbH (“Knittel”), a manufacturer of microscope slides and cover glass and provider of engineering consulting services to the broader glass manufacturing industry. Neither company disclosed the deal’s terms.

This business combination adds self-manufacturing capabilities for key slide and cover glass products to StatLab’s existing product portfolio and expands its global presence with two additional locations in Germany. “Since 2021, StatLab has made significant investments to expand manufacturing capabilities and capacity, enhancing our ability to serve customers and transform our business. The addition of Knittel’s slide and cover glass offerings to StatLab’s product portfolio is an integral part of our strategy to become a differentiated leader,” StateLab Executive Chairman Joe Bernardo said.
 
Established in 1987 by entrepreneurial founder Waldemar Knittel in Braunschweig, Germany, Knittel is currently under the management of his daughter, Anika, and her husband, Fabio Insalata, CEO. The company is recognized as a leader in high-quality German glass products for anatomic pathology evaluations, including its flagship StarFrost slide brand. The company collaborates with customers and its engineering consulting division—through innovative robotic automation—has helped increase operational efficiency and quality. In conjunction with the transaction, Knittel will undertake planned investments in expanding its manufacturing capacity to better service its U.S. and European customers.

“Our decision to partner with StatLab represents a shared vision of rapid operational innovation, and we’re excited to invest into our team and operations here in Germany as well as collaborate with our U.S. counterparts,” Insalata stated. “I look forward to working with Dae, Joe, and the StatLab team to expand our footprint and increase our manufacturing capacity, delivering more value to our customers as a result.”
 
Once the transaction closes (subject to regulatory approvals), Insalata will join the StatLab management team and continue to lead the Knittel business as managing director. Oppenhoff served as legal advisor to StatLab, and KPMG supported Knittel as financial advisor.

“I look forward to collaborating with Fabio and the Knittel team to build on the legacy the Knittel family has established over two generations, together transforming the anatomic pathology industry,” StatLab CEO Sung-Dae Hong added.
 
Founded in 1976, StatLab Medical Products manufactures anatomic pathology consumables and labeling and tracking equipment for clinical and research laboratories. Current StatLab manufacturing sites in England, Wales, and the United States provides a stable supply chain of high-quality products for laboratories worldwide. 
 
Knittel is one of the largest manufacturers of microscope slides and cover glass worldwide, produced in ISO13485-certified facilities and exclusively sold through distribution channels.