Bosch plans to snap up Pharmatec
technology division with the acquisition of German firm Pharmatec.
The transaction, financial details of which were not disclosed, would expand the packaging technology division's offering for the pharma industry, which accounts for the majority of the unit's sales. Pharmatec, a Fresenius ProServe company, develops and manufactures systems for the pharma industry, focusing on solutions for the production, storage and distribution of pharmaceutical clean utilities, process technology for pharmaceutical formulation, and systems for bioprocess technology. "With Pharmatec the range of services and products of Bosch Packaging Technology will become significantly broader," a spokesperson for the company told in-PharmaTechnologist.com. "It is the aim to provide customers with the most comprehensive solutions from one source." The company highlighted the fact that the planned purchase would include the acquisition of Pharmatec's subsidiary Schoeller-Bleckmann Medizintechnik (SBM), which operates in the fields of sterilisation systems and rubber stopper treatment, process orientated control and technical services. SBM will be integrated into the pharma product area of the packaging technology division, in-PharmaTechnologist was told, and the other Pharmatec sites will remain. The move to acquire Pharmatec would seem to add a range of new lines to Bosch's portfolio, as the packaging division currently focuses on developing and manufacturing process and packaging machinery for the pharma, confectionery and food industries. With particular expertise in packaging machinery for pharmaceutical solids and liquids, Bosch's packaging technology division currently offers a range of machines for blister packs, folding cartons, capsules, and a variety of filling, sealing and sterilisation services along with machinery for other packaging types. In 2004 the company acquired the Swiss Sigpack Group, which was a key move for Bosch allowing it to claim the title of the world's largest supplier of packaging technology. Although specialising in packaging for the food industry, the acquisition also resulted in Bosch being able to offer a customer-specific blister-pack system for birth control pills. The company noted in its most recent annual report that "integrated systems such as machinery for the manufacturing, testing and packaging of pharmaceutical products are playing an increasingly important role," which helps account for these latest acquisition plans as Bosch moves to expand its presence and offer a full complement of solutions to the pharma industry. Emerging markets in China, Russia, Turkey and Korea have played a key role in increasing demand for pharmaceutical products - and consequently packaging solutions - which has helped drive Bosch's business growth. The company recently increased its packaging technology presence in China and Southeast Asia, with production, development and sales now all present in the area, opening up this growing market to the company. Pharmatec generated sales of around €30m in 2006, which should make a nice contribution to Bosch's sizeable packaging technology division, which last year reported sales of €570m.
