ARIAS is pleased to announce its role as legal advisor to IMCD on the successful signing of an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Bretano’s companies in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. IMCD’s acquisition of Bretano strengthens the company’s presence in Latin America as a leading distributor and formulator of specialty chemicals and ingredients.


Arias Costa Rica was the leading counsel for all jurisdictions in the region and collaborated with Sánchez Devanny from Mexico to advise IMCD in its role as purchaser. The Seller was represented by Zenda Legal in Colombia. The regional team of Arias advised IMCD from the early stages of the deal including the due diligence phase, negotiation, and closing strategy.


"IMCD's expansion in Latin America has been a progressive and meticulous process. Arias has advised IMCD throughout the process to continue growing in the region successfully. Bretano is a leading company in the industry, and the acquisition demanded a high degree of attention to detail including tax matters, assets, employees, intellectual property, and key customer and supplier relationships. The integration of Bretano into IMCD's operations is expected to yield synergies and operational efficiencies, driving value creation for both companies and their stakeholders.” said Andrey Dorado, Partner at Arias Costa Rica.


The team that led the transaction was:

  • Andrey Dorado, Partner, Costa Rica
  • Tracy Varela, Senior Counsel, Costa Rica
  • Desirée Barahona, Associate, Costa Rica
  • Roberta Gallardo, Partner, El Salvador
  • Ernesto Sánchez, Senior Counsel, El Salvador
  • Luis Pedro del Valle, Partner, Guatemala
  • Florencio A. Gramajo, Senior Associate, Guatemala
  • Andres Marroquin, Associate, Guatemala

ARIAS Costa Rica is also in charge of the Antitrust clearance process before the local authority. The transaction's closing is expected to take place in the second quarter of 2024.


The acquisition of Bretano by IMCD marks a significant milestone in the company's growth strategy, strengthening its market position and capabilities.


We're deeply honored to have participated in this transaction. Our sincere gratitude goes to our client IMCD for trusting our firm, and we extend the most heartfelt congratulations to our exceptional team!