West Pharma buys packaging testing lab
delivery business, is to acquire Monarch Analytical Laboratories in
exchange for cash, assumed liabilities and shares totalling $5.6
million (€4.3m).
Monarch provides some of the largest US pharmaceutical and medical device companies with a variety of analytical testing services from its facility, just outside of Toledo, Ohio, and had 2004 sales of approximately $3 million.
West currently provides analytical laboratory services from its facilities in Lionville, Pennsylvania, and the combined businesses will operate under the name West Monarch Analytical Laboratories. West plans to continue operating both the Pennsylvania and Ohio facilities and to retain the majority of Monarch's 20 employees.
The combined company will offer a comprehensive menu of sophisticated analytical testing services for glass, plastics and elastomer packaging components to help global pharmaceutical manufacturers meet worldwide container/closure and packaging regulatory guidelines. Monarch's capabilities and experience in glass and plastics testing will complement West's portfolio of services, most significantly, extractable and leachable testing for elastomer components, which West manufactures and represents its largest product group.
Herbert Hugill, president of the Americas region at West Pharma, said: "Monarch's expertise and experience in testing nasal and inhalation devices brings added strengths to West's current portfolio of services. Together, we can better assist our pharmaceutical clients to develop data that is critical to their product-related regulatory submissions. They, in turn, can focus their resources on discovering and developing new drugs, biologics and medical devices."
