Middle market private equity firm One Equity Partners’ portfolio company Duran Group, a global glass manufacturer for laboratory and industrial applications, has acquired Kimble Chase Life Science & Research Products.
The acquisition of US-based Kimble Chase, which has a strong position in disposable products, is a further step in building Duran Group into a leader in the laboratory and scientific glassware industry.
Headquartered in Rockwood, Tennessee, Kimble Chase is a manufacturer and distributor of laboratory and scientific glassware for the pharmaceutical, environmental, petrochemical, life sciences, education and chromatography markets. Operating facilities across three continents, the company offers a broad range of disposable, reusable and specialty products. Kimble Chase was previously owned by Gerresheimer and Chase Scientific Glass.
"This highly strategic acquisition strengthens Duran Group's US market presence with the addition of complementary products that balances the company's Europe and US businesses. It is representative of One Equity Partners' strategy of creating transformative combinations that build market-leading businesses," says Jörg Zirener, managing director at One Equity Partners, which acquired Duran Group in February 2015. "The addition of Kimble Chase further diversifies the business. We are creating a business that can offer customers around the world an integrated and complementary product portfolio of precision laboratory glassware products."
In September 2015, Duran Group was combined with Wheaton, a Millville, NJ-based supplier of laboratory consumable products and customised solutions used for life science R&D, in vitro diagnostics, and medical packaging. The acquisition was the first step in transforming Duran Group from primarily a European-focused company into a worldwide laboratory glassware business.
"This acquisition allows us to continue to build a global company that now combines three highly respected names in the laboratory consumables industry, and offers laboratory glass and plastic products for research and packaging solutions in the areas of life sciences and chemistry," says Armin Reiche, CEO of Duran Group. "This will prove highly beneficial for our customers as we will offer them both the full range of laboratory products and support their needs for global expansion and local coverage."
