NEWS
Combining strengths
BASF takes over Equateq Ltd B
ASF has announced the acquisition of Equateq Ltd., a global leader in the manufacture of highly concentrated omega-3 fatty acids. With the acquisition, BASF extends its portfolio of omega-3 products for the pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industries with a new offering of highly concentrated omega-3 fatty acids. Equateq has a production site located on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland with 47 employees. Equateq with all its employees will be integrated
into the Pharma Ingredients & Services unit, which is part of BASF’s Nutrition & Health division. The integration is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. Equateq’s proprietary chromatographic separation methods allow flexible formulation of omega-3 fatty acids at exceptional purity levels. “Equateq’s technologies will enable us to customise fatty acid concentrates with variable ratios of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
at concentration levels of up to 99% purity. This is unique in the market,” explained Martin Widmann, senior vice-president, Pharma Ingredients & Services at BASF. BASF believes that highly concentrated omega-3 fatty acids are a global growing market. Increasing consumer awareness of the health benefits of omega-3 is fueling double-digit growth for omega-3 products in the years to come. Visit: www.basf.com
AAK acquires Crown Foods
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AK – one of the world-leading producers of high value-added specialty vegetable oils and fats – has acquired Crown-Foods AS. Crown-Foods is a Scandinavian market leader producing sauces and dressings for Food Service customers. “This acquisition is an integral part of the AAK Acceleration program, which calls for organic growth as well as selective acquisitions. The acquisition of Crown-Foods will strengthen our ability to supply a broader portfolio of Food Service products, which is a major benefit to both existing and new customers,” says Arne Frank, president and CEO of the AAK Group.
“Crown-Foods is a natural addition to AAK Food Service. With the company’s focus on quality and with a product portfolio that is gaining market shares in Scandinavia, it fits very well with our strategy to increase semispeciality and speciality volumes,” says Søren Ask Nielsen, managing director Food Service Continental Europe. Founded in 1988 and located in Mørkøv, Denmark, Crown-Foods employs approximately 20 people and had a turnover of approximately SEK 60 million in 2011. Visit: www.aak.com
Aker Solutions buys Lyngdal Mek. Verksted
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ker Solutions is acquiring the mechanical workshop company Lyngdal Mek. Verksted (LMV), thereby increasing its capacity to assemble, test and overhaul drilling equipment especially for the North Sea market. This is the second recent acquisition by Aker Solutions’ drilling technologies business in its home region, following the takeover of Herman Hansen Mek. Verksted in March 2012. “The takeover of Lyngdal Mek. Verksted is the latest example of our strategic moves to boost our capacity to serve drilling customers in the North Sea market. The acquisition of LMV will help us take a larger share of the upcoming overhaul market, facilitated by our growing installed base,” said Thor Arne Håverstad, head of Aker Solutions’ drilling technologies business. Visit: www.akersolutions.com
PartnerTech acquires Aerodyn AB
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artnerTech has acquired Aerodyn AB, a company focused on contract manufacturing of heavy components for ship propulsion with propeller systems or water jets. The company’s estimated yearly turnover is approximately SEK 40 million and it will be consolidated into the Machining
18 Industry Europe
operating segment from the second quarter 2012. Aerodyn employs some 20 people and is based in Karlskoga, Sweden. “The aim of the transaction is to broaden our customer base within Machining as well as develop our offering within the Defence and Maritime market area. Aerodyn’s deep expertise in advanced machining of large components is an
excellent complement to our existing offer. The acquisition of Aerodyn means that PartnerTech can offer component weights from a few grams to several tonnes manufactured in accordance with high customer requirements in our units in Sweden and Poland,” says Leif Thorwaldsson, president and CEO of PartnerTech. Visit: www.partnertech.com
