(From the July 25, 2011, issue of Rubber & Plastics News)
RED BANK, N.J.—Ansell Ltd. has acquired Sandel Medical Industries L.L.C. for $13.5 million to give it access to products outside its primary glove lines, principally in the area of health care safety.
Sandel designs, develops, produces and sells a variety of goods that address and prevent safety problems for patients and medical personnel. Its offerings fall into six categories: sharps safety, ergonomic safety, medication and specimen handling, safety kits, and safety products/correct site markers for patients.
The company outsources manufacturing of ergonomic products such as anti-fatigue mats, stools and absorbent pads along with trays, safety scalpels and numerous other injury prevention offerings and systems. The firm has annual sales in the $10 million range.
The Chatsworth, Calif.-based business, formed in 2002, will continue to be run by its present management team and remain based at its present location, an Ansell spokeswoman said. It has a work force of about 30, she said, “and there are no plans to change that; if anything, the business is expected to grow.”
Its name will be changed to Ansell Sandel Medical Solutions L.L.C.
Ansell is one of the world's largest rubber and synthetic latex glove and condom manufacturers. In its fiscal first-half report released in February, Ansell reported profit of $61 million, up 12 percent from the like period in 2010, on sales of $584 million, up 9 percent from last year.
With the purchase, Ansell will quickly expand its surgical product range, the spokeswoman said, allowing it to offer hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers products that improve patient and staff safety and to meet requirements with regard to growing regulatory and legislative safety requirements placed on hospitals and other health care agencies.
“The acquisition is an important step in Ansell's strategy to grow in both existing business segments, as well as to expand with integrated solutions in surgical safety,” CEO Magnus Nicolin said.