DSM to buy Roche vitamins - paper
decided soon, with German press reports suggesting that DSM is the
leading candidate to buy the business.
A report in the German newspaper Badische Zeitung claims that Dutch speciality chemicals group DSM is on the verge of acquiring the vitamins division of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche.
Roche has been looking into a number of options for its vitamins business - although a sale has always been the most likely outcome - after a series of poor performances at the division and the impact of the fine imposed by the EU for its part in a price fixing cartel.
Neither Roche nor DSM have commented on the details of the report, although Roche did reiterate that it was considering a number of options for the vitamin unit while a spokesman for DSM said that the acquisition of the vitamin maker "could not be ruled out as a possibility".
DSM is in the process of restructuring its operations and focusing on speciality chemicals, and it has been linked with a number of other potential takeover targets, including Degussa and Christian Hansen.
