Gerresheimer finalises EDP acquisition

Jane Ellis, packagingnews.co.uk, 03 January 2008

Gerresheimer, the German pharmaceutical packaging group, has expanded its medical plastics business with the acquisition of Spanish company EDP.

EDP produces PET pharmaceutical packaging in Zaragoza and Valencia, Spain, and in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has annual sales of around £24m (€32m).

The firm can make up to 400 million PET containers and 180 million polyolefin containers per year.

Gerresheimer chief executive Axel Herberg said the addition of EDP's factories would open up "important new growth markets" for its plastic systems division.

The deal will be completed by the end of this month, with full integration during the first half of 2008.

Herberg said EDP's product range provided an "ideal match" for Gerresheimer's drug delivery systems.

Gerresheimer produces glass and plastic medicine bottles, drug delivery systems, sterile syringes, inhalers and vials.

The company employs around 10,000 people at 37 locations across Europe, US and Asia, and has annual worldwide sales of more than £700m.