Thermo Fisher Sued Over Plant Sale

Private equity firm OpenGate Capital has accused Thermo Fisher Scientific of selling it a plant last year in Mexico that is overrun by a drug cartel. In a lawsuit filed on May 10 in a Los Angeles federal district court, OpenGate claims Thermo Fisher deliberately concealed that the plant in Reynosa, Mexico, “was under siege and the subject of repeated, near-daily security breaches” by gun-toting members of the Gulf Cartel. In a statement, Thermo Fisher said, “We believe this lawsuit is without merit. The safety and security of our work sites and employees is always our first priority.” OpenGate bought the plant in November 2012 when it purchased Thermo Fisher’s laboratory furniture business.