Honeywell to Acquire Research Chemicals Business From Sigma-Aldrich


Honeywell recently announced 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 Mr. 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, MI. 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.

Sigma-Aldrich is a leading life science and high-technology company that provides chemical and biochemical products and kits for scientific research, including genomic and proteomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and in pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and other high-technology manufacturing.

Honeywell Fine Chemicals is a part of the Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies business group. Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies (PMT) is a global leader in developing advanced materials, process technologies, and automation solutions. PMT’s Advanced Materials businesses manufacture a wide variety of high-performance products, including environmentally friendlier refrigerants and materials used to manufacture end products such as bullet-resistant armor, nylon, computer chips, and pharmaceutical packaging. Process technologies developed by PMT’s UOP business (www.uop.com) form the foundation for most of the world’s refiners, efficiently producing gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, petrochemicals, and renewable fuels. PMT’s Process Solutions business (www.honeywellprocess.com) is a pioneer in automation control, instrumentation, and services for the oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, industrial power generation, chemicals and petrochemicals, biofuels, life sciences, and metals, minerals and mining industries.