US polymer producer FMC BioPolymer announced this week that it has acquired Norway-based Pronova Biomedical AS, a supplier of ultra-pure alginates and chitosans to the pharmaceutical and medical materials markets, from a subsidiary of Norsk Hydro ASA.
FMC BioPolymer claimed in a statement that the new acquisition will complement its current alginate and carrageenan businesses and accelerate FMC BioPolymer's goal of offering specialised, formulated ingredients to the rapidly growing biotechnology, medical device and medical materials industries.
David Simcox, general manager of FMC BioPolymer's Pharmaceutical Division said: "The Biomedical acquisition enables us to jump start our entry into the high value application of our polymers in the biotechnology, medical materials and medical device segments. Pronova Biomedical has an excellent reputation and will extend our upstream, alginate capabilities.''
Arne Dessen, managing director of both FMC's Norwegian and pharmaceutical alginate operations added: "This acquisition, combined with our current manufacturing assets in Norway, will ultimately allow FMC to provide customers with a catalogue of specialised, high purity biopolymers for use from the research bench to the production plant.''
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.