Hygiena, a specialist in rapid food safety and environmental sanitation testing, has agreed to acquire DuPont’s global food safety diagnostics business for an undisclosed sum.
DuPont Diagnostics provides innovative, science-based microbial detection and monitoring products that identify and characterise pathogens and other undesirable organisms in food ingredients, finished products and production environments. Shortly after the formation of the business, DuPont pioneered PCR technology in commercial food safety testing with the Bax System for pathogen detection.
Today, the Bax system has been adopted as a leading detection method by food manufacturers, food quality laboratories and governments around the world – and Hygiena said that it plans to invest in new product development to continue DuPont’s innovation.
The acquisition includes all of DuPont Diagnostics’ business assets, including the Bax and RiboPrinter systems and associated test kits; a global and technically trained sales, R&D and manufacturing set-up; and in-house production capacity. The business was formed by DuPont in 1992 as Qualicon, and Hygiena will retain the Qualicon name.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017, pending customary closing conditions and regulatory approval.
Hygiena chief executive officer Steve Nason said: “The combination of DuPont Diagnostics and Hygiena will create a broad food safety diagnostics company that can better serve our customers. The combined company’s microbiology products will cover the full manufacturing process, from in-process environmental tests to finished product tests.
“In addition, the combination increases our customer service presence in the United States and internationally, which will allow us to further enhance our research and development efforts and support to our combined customer base.”
Matthias Heinzel, president of DuPont Nutrition & Health, added: “This transaction is a strategic business decision that will allow DuPont Nutrition & Health to focus on growth opportunities that are more closely aligned with our core portfolio of speciality food ingredients. We believe that the diagnostics business is an excellent strategic fit with Hygiena. Together, they will be better able to offer greater opportunities for growth and investment in innovative solutions for the global pathogen testing industry.”
And Stephanie Geveda, the managing director of private equity firm Warburg Pincus, which invested in Hygiena last year, said: “DuPont Diagnostics is a perfect fit within Hygiena’s growth strategy. We are excited to invest in and build upon the business’ portfolio of leading diagnostic products and capabilities.”
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