Honeywell inks definitive agreement to acquire Sigma-Aldrich's laboratory research chemicals business

Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Seelze, Germany-based laboratory research chemicals business from Sigma-Aldrich for approximately 105 million euro.

The acquired Sigma-Aldrich business develops and manufactures high-purity research chemicals and other materials used in new drug discovery, medical diagnostic testing and other laboratory applications. The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory review.

"This acquisition allows Honeywell to offer laboratory customers a more complete product line, and builds on our already strong portfolio of Burdick & Jackson^® high-purity solvents and reagents adding some of the industry's most well-known and respected brands," said Darius Adamczyk, president and CEO of Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies. "The acquisition will enable Honeywell to offer a broader line of inorganic chemicals and solvents for demanding applications ranging from pharmaceutical drug discovery to medical diagnostic testing."

Honeywell will acquire three global brands:

• Fluka^® chemicals and reagents used for biochemical research and other chemical and pharmaceutical applications;
• Hydranal^® Karl Fischer titration reagents used by laboratories to measure moisture content in liquids and solids;
• Chromasolv^® high-purity solvents for chromatography, a technique used to separate and analyze complex mixtures.

All three product brands are globally recognized for their quality and lot-to-lot consistency, which is critical for a range of applications including drug synthesis, food, environmental, chemical and forensic testing.

"Customers of the Fluka, Hydranal, and Chromasolv brand solvents and inorganics will continue to get consistent, high-quality products from Honeywell. The combination of Honeywell's manufacturing expertise with the strength of an expanded solvents and inorganics portfolio will enable us to better serve all of our customers in research chemicals," continued Adamczyk. "Honeywell's strong business processes, and deployment of Honeywell Operating System, will allow us to optimize the production of Fluka, Hydranal, and Chromasolv brand products and grow the research chemicals business into new regions and customer segments."

The newly acquired business will be integrated into Honeywell's Fine Chemicals business, which has supplied high-quality research chemicals and specialty organic and inorganic compounds to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries for more than 100 years. It maintains laboratories and/or production facilities in Seelze, Germany and Muskegon, Michigan. Its products are sold under the Burdick & Jackson and Riedel-de Haen brands, and are used in a variety of laboratory, consumer and industrial applications including drug discovery, toothpaste, water purification, fortified foodstuffs, polymer synthesis, and metal surface treatment and finishing.