LGC, the forensic science group that assists in police murder investigations and carries out paternity, food, drug and medical testing in the UK, has been put up for sale.
Its private equity owner Legal & General Ventures is seeking to sell the group for £200m after buying it for £80m in 2003.
In 2008, LGC's turnover was £119.6m, while its earnings of £19.9m were increased from £11.3m a year before.
KPMG has been hired to find a buyer for the group, and it is believed that early interest in the business will be strong. The owners hope the sale will take place in the first six months of 2010.
LGC's only rival - the government-owned Forensic Science Service (FSS) may be privatised in a way similar to QinetiQ. The FSS specialises in investigating deaths; overseeing crime scenes; testing drugs brought in to Heathrow; and also looks after firearms seized by police in London.
The number of crimes solved through DNA profiling has quadrupled since 2004, increasing the amount of potential work for LGC. About £45m of the Metropolitan Police's £3bn budget for 2007 was spent on forensic science.
LGC has recently been involved in identifying bodies from the Battle of the Somme, as well as the deaths of Damilola Taylor and Rachel Nickell.
