STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG / Acquisition
23.04.2009
Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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STRATEC acquires Invitek
STRATEC boosts its expertise and technology offering in the field of
molecular biology through the acquisition of Berlin-based Invitek GmbH
- Extends technology offering for OEM customers
- Reinforces competence in nucleic acid testing and molecular biology
- Expands scientific expertise
- Additional sales in low single-digit million range
- Profitable company with around 30 employees
Birkenfeld, April 23, 2009
The STRATEC Group, Birkenfeld, Germany (Frankfurt: SBS; Prime Standard),
has today acquired one hundred percent of the shares in the privately owned
company Invitek Gesellschaft für Biotechnik & Biodesign mbH, Berlin,
Germany. In terms of the STRATEC Group's corporate structure, the newly
acquired company will be incorporated into the STRATEC group under the
wholly-owned subsidiary Robion AG, Neuhausen/Rheinfall, Switzerland.
STRATEC is financing the acquisition with available funds and with treasury
stock from the Company's holdings. The purchase price (net of cash assets
and liabilities) consists of a cash amount of around Euro 2.1 million and
around 70.000 treasury stocks in STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG, which may
only be resold upon specified conditions being met. In addition, a variable
purchase price component amounting to a maximum of Euro 0.35 million by the
end of 2009 has been agreed and is dependent on the achievement of
performance and development targets.
The additional sales and earnings generated by Invitek will change the
consolidated figures forecast for 2009 within the corridor published by
STRATEC in its financial guidance for 2009. As a result, no amendments are
required to that guidance.
The products and technologies developed by Invitek in the field of nucleic
asset testing and molecular biology will add significant application
opportunities both now and in the future to the range of services offered
by the STRATEC Group to its OEM customers. These are expected to mainly
involve optimizing the relevant purification and processing steps in the
automated solutions for our existing and potential OEM customers.
'The extension of our technology pool as a result of the acquisition and
the additional expertise now available to us will enable us as an OEM
supplier and outsourcing partner to offer our existing and future customers
substantial added value in the development of automated system solutions,'
commented Hermann Leistner, Chairman of the Board of Management of STRATEC
Biomedical Systems AG.
In line with STRATEC's acquisition policy of relying on organic growth to
increase its market share and making targeted acquisitions to accelerate
technological progress, Invitek will be integrated into the STRATEC Group
while remaining an autonomous company. The protein extraction and molecular
diagnostic investigations business divisions will be discontinued or spun
off. As well as maintaining its established business fields (but with an
increased focus on its successful products), it will mainly be Invitek's
competence in the automation of molecular biological processes which will
find application in STRATEC's technology pool. Invitek has built up
in-depth expertise, especially in the purification of nucleic acids and
their separation with magnetic particles, from which STRATEC's OEM
customers now stand to benefit.
Founded in 1992, Invitek and its total of around 30 employees will continue
to be managed in the fields of technology and development by the company's
founder and Managing Director, Dr. Peter Bendzko. However, Dr. Jens Beator,
the Managing Director of STRATEC's wholly-owned subsidiary 'STRATEC NewGen
GmbH', will assume responsibility for the fields of marketing, sales,
business development and strategy. Invitek will therefore benefit both from
his longstanding industry experience and from his previous involvement
within the STRATEC Group.
STRATEC sees excellent opportunities for the synergetic expansion of its
technology offering through numerous patents and applications and the
contribution of STRATEC's proprietary MRT technology (Modified RNA
Technology; a technology for the purification and stabilization of DNA and
RNA, e.g. in whole blood and cells) as having further positive implications
for the Group. Furthermore, new opportunities will also arise due to
improved access to suppliers, customers and universities. Indeed, STRATEC
expects cooperation with the highly-qualified Invitek team in Berlin in the
development of molecular biological applications and a shared strategic
focus to generate additional growth potential in this future market.
About STRATEC
STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG (http://www.stratec-biomedical.de) designs
and manufactures fully automated systems for its partners in the fields of
clinical diagnostics and biotechnology. These partners market such systems,
in general together with their own reagents, to laboratories, blood banks
and research institutes around the world. The company develops its products
on the basis of its own patented technologies. Shares in the company (ISIN:
DE0007289001) are traded in the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt
Stock Exchange.
The STRATEC Group consists of the publicly listed parent company STRATEC
Biomedical Systems AG and of subsidiaries and second-tier subsidiaries in
Germany, the USA, the UK, Switzerland and Romania.
Further information can be obtained from:
STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG
André Loy, Investor Relations
Gewerbestr. 37, 75217 Birkenfeld
Germany
Tel: +49 7082 7916 190
Fax: +49 7082 7916 999
E-mail: ir@stratec-biomedical.de
DGAP 23.04.2009
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Language: English
Issuer: STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG
Gewerbestraße 37
75217 Birkenfeld
Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)7082 7916 0
Fax: +49 (0)7082 7916 999
E-mail: info@stratec-biomedical.de
Internet: www.stratec-biomedical.de
ISIN: DE0007289001
WKN: 728900
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Stuttgart, München, Düsseldorf
End of News DGAP News-Service
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DGAP-News: STRATEC acquires Invitek
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