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Bosch signed agreements to acquire Hüttlin GmbH and Manesty Ltd., subsidiaries of OYSTAR Holding GmbH. The two companies develop, manufacture, and sell process equipment for the pharmaceuticals industry. Hüttlin, based in Schopfheim, Germany, produces specialist drying and granulation equipment, from powder to the production of pharmaceuticals.
Manesty, based in Knowsley, near Liverpool in the United Kingdom, specializes in tablet presses and coaters. It has been agreed that the purchase price will not be disclosed. The transaction is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities.
“The two companies are important stepping stones in the expansion of pharmaceuticals process technology at Bosch,” said Friedbert Klefenz, president of the Bosch Packaging Technology division. “They support the strategic alignment of the division by complementing the upstream value-added chain. This is a further step toward expanding the division to become a full-service provider. This move complements our primary packaging portfolio.”
Focus on Europe
Last year, the two companies generated sales totaling 49 million euros. Hüttlin employs 80 people in Germany while Manesty has 110 associates in Great Britain. The majority of the sales – some 70 percent – are generated in Europe.
“In selling Hüttlin and Manesty, OYSTAR is continuing its strategic focus on the primary and secondary packaging business,” said Tom Graf, the chairman of the board of management of the OYSTAR Group. “At the same time, having Bosch as their new owner equips our subsidiaries Hüttlin GmbH and Manesty well for the future. The companies can work together to extend their activities in the area of pharmaceuticals process technology, and successfully continue their growth course.”
Bosch Packaging Technology, based in Waiblingen, Germany, is one of the leading providers of one-stop solutions for packaging and process technology. The division has development and production facilities in 16 countries and markets its machines and systems for the pharmaceuticals, confectionery, cosmetics, food, and non-food industries worldwide. It also has a variety of service offerings. The division employs a global workforce of roughly 4,500 associates.
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 285,000 associates generated sales of 47.3 billion euros in fiscal 2010. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 350 subsidiaries and regional companies in over 60 countries. If its sales and service partners are included, then Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Bosch spent 3.8 billion euros for research and development in 2010, and applied for over 3,800 patents worldwide. With all its products and services, Bosch enhances the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and beneficial.
Bosch is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2011. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as a “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.
