Branford Castle-backed Lafayette Instrument Acquires Sutter Instrument to Expand Life Sciences Portfolio

Lafayette Instrument, LLC, a leading manufacturer of scientific instrumentation for life sciences, polygraph, and human evaluation markets, backed by Branford Castle, has acquired Sutter Instrument Corp., a specialist in precision scientific instruments for electrophysiology and neuroscience research. The deal was announced on May 12, 2026.

This acquisition marks Lafayette’s fifth bolt-on investment since its acquisition by Branford Castle Partners’ Fund II in 2021. Branford Castle is a North American private equity firm focused on lower middle-market companies with strong niche leadership.

Sutter Instrument is recognized globally for its precision instruments used by universities and research institutions in cellular research, electrophysiology, and neuroscience. The company’s product portfolio and technical expertise complement Lafayette’s existing life sciences offerings.

Benjamin Mangrich, CEO of Lafayette Instrument, said, “Sutter has been a global leader in instrumentation supporting cellular research and electrophysiology for over 50 years. Their strong product portfolio and commitment to customer success make them a natural complement to Lafayette’s Life Science portfolio.” Ceon Francis, Managing Director at Branford Castle, added, “This acquisition strengthens Lafayette’s platform and broadens its product offering to better serve a growing base of life sciences customers who demand the latest tools and technology. We look forward to collaborating with management to drive long-term growth.”

The deal was supported by senior debt financing from Byline Bank and mezzanine debt from Brookside Capital Partners. Branford Castle was advised by Akerman LLP (legal) and RSM (accounting/tax), while Sutter was advised by EC M&A (financial) and Donahue Fitzgerald LLP (legal).

Lafayette Instrument has over 75 years of experience engineering scientific instrumentation and data acquisition equipment across disciplines including biology, neuroscience, pharmaceutical research, physical therapy, security, and law enforcement. The acquisition of Sutter enhances Lafayette’s position at the forefront of neuroscientific discovery and human evaluation.

Strategically, the acquisition enables Lafayette to cross-sell complementary product lines, expand sales channels within academic and research institutions, and leverage combined brand reputation. Operational synergies include integrating experiment-focused software with instrumentation hardware, consolidating manufacturing and supply chains, and unifying customer support services.

The life sciences instrumentation market is experiencing consolidation as companies seek to broaden product portfolios and accelerate innovation. Lafayette’s expanded offering positions it to better compete against rivals investing heavily in R&D and customer engagement.

Looking ahead, Lafayette plans to align product development roadmaps and integrate technology platforms while maintaining high customer service standards during the transition. The company aims to capitalize on combined R&D capabilities to accelerate innovation and improve operational efficiencies.

This acquisition underscores Lafayette’s commitment to supporting the life science research community with advanced instrumentation and software solutions, backed by Branford Castle’s strategic investment and operational expertise.