Thermo and Sartorius sign disposables agreement
agreement continuing the relationship between Sartorius and
Thermo's recently acquired TC Tech.
The agreement stipulates that TC Tech will supply Sartorius with disposable process containers for the biopharmaceutical industry up to the end of 2007 and with disposable process containers fitted with Sartorius filter capsules up to 2012. In return, Sartorius will continue to supply TC Tech with those filter units for a further five years. TC Tech and Sartorius have been business partners supplying disposables to the biopharmaceutical industry for several years. "The main target of this agreement is to optimally satisfy customer needs and to enable a continued product supply for their validated process applications," said Reinhard Vogt, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing of the Biotechnology Division at Sartorius. However, recent merger and acquisition activities had threatened to disrupt the agreement. Fisher Scientific acquired TC Tech for an undisclosed amount in March 2006, before its merger with Thermo Electron later that year. Sartorius is currently in the process of purchasing a controlling stake in one of TC Tech's major competitors - disposables manufacturer, Stedim Biosystems. Sartorius is currently building its biotechnology division, which generated sales revenues of €271m in 2006, and will form combine its current biotechnology division with Stedim to form a new company - Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A.
