Kynetec and Kleffmann Group merge research businesses

The newly combined company is comprised of around 950 staff across 50 countries, with all Kynetec staff and the Kleffmann Group’s market research team part of the newly merged company.

The deal was driven by client consolidation in the animal health and agricultural sectors, as well as a need to invest in digital technologies, the companies said. The merged firm will develop global services, farmer respondent communities and advanced analytics.

Founded in 1990, Kleffmann Group is headquartered in Lüdinghausen, Germany. The company has 18 international subsidiaries in Asia, Australia, Europe, North and Latin America.

Earlier this year, Berkshire-headquartered Kynetec acquired Australian data and business intelligence agribusiness Neil Clark & Associates and Belgium-based CATI call centre JTL.

Kleffmann Group’s main shareholder and chief executive, Burkhard Kleffmann, has left the company. He will focus on the development of Kleffmann Group’s independent agricultural remote sensing business My Data Plant/Crop Radar, which provides farmers with insights on their arable land.

The integration of the two businesses will be led by Kynetec’s executive committee. Daniel Wirth and Richard Jameson, chief operating officers of the crop subscription and custom research businesses respectively, will lead the commercial process.

Wirth said: “This merger will allow our combined business to offer clients greater geographic footprint, consistent global panel solutions, enhanced farmer databases and increased investment in digital services.”

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.