Gurit acquires Donegal HealthCare
Significant increase in clean-room production capacity for medical drug delivery devices
26-Jun-2002
The Gurit Heberlein Group, which focuses on chemical and synthetic technologies, is strategically strengthening its Healthcare Division. Retrospective to 1.1.2002, the Dutch Gurit Medical Business Beheer bv has acquired Donegal HealthCare, based in Letterkenny, Ireland. As a result Gurit now owns three companies specialised in the clean-room production of synthetic products for medical and pharmaceutical use.
Wattwil, June 25th, 2002. Gurit Medical Business Beheer bv, the parent company of the medical activities of the Swiss Gurit Heberlein Group, has acquired retrospective to 1.1.2002 Donegal HealthCare Ltd, in Letterkenny, Ireland.
Donegal HealthCare is an excellent match with Gurit's traditional medical activities: the company specialises in the development and production of medical, diagnostic and pharmaceutical disposable devices produced under clean-room conditions. Its valuable process engineering know-how makes Donegal a much sought after OEM development and production partner. The company’s knowledge ranges from prototyping of new medical drug delivery devices to their refinement, preparation for and actual mass production. The company works in class 10000 clean-rooms and is particularly specialised in the production of packaging solutions. Besides injection moulding the company also has capacity in plastic welding, automated assembly and sterilisation.
Donegal HealthCare reports a yearly turnover of € 18 million and has 250 employees. It has been agreed not to release information concerning the acquisition price. The company is currently owned by the local management. It is intended to rapidly integrate the company into the Gurit Medical Business activities so as to make use of synergies in marketing, sales and development. The company will, however, remain independent under current management.
This acquisition is of particular significance for Gurit for several reasons: Besides Medisize in Holland (respiratory products and OEM production of drug delivery devices) and a joint venture in the Czech Republic (Medisize CZ), Gurit now has a third clean-room plant for the manufacture of medical devices. This considerably strengthens the position of Gurit Medical Business as customers in medical or pharmaceutical OEM production often require delivery security which can only be offered with several geographically separate production sites. Furthermore, Gurit is able to strengthen its strategic position due to additional know-how and the broader range of technology. Whereas Gurit has up to now mainly supplied customers in continental Europe, Donegal HealthCare is also a major supplier to British and North American customers. The plant is certified by the American health authority FDA. Last but not least, with its extensive technical expertise in injection moulding, welding and gamma sterili-sation the Irish company improves the position of Gurit Medical Business as multi-technology solution integrator for medical, diag-nostic and pharmaceutical drug delivery devices.
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