BASF to Focus Pharmaceutical Ingredients Business on its Core Expertise

BASF plans to focus its pharmaceutical ingredients & services business within the Nutrition & Health division on its core expertise in pharmaceutical excipients. To implement this decision, BASF intends to divest its custom synthesis business and parts of its current active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) business to Siegfried Holding AG. These include APIs such as ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and caffeine. BASF’s leading excipient portfolio and selected APIs, such as ibuprofen, omega-3 fatty acids and polyethylenglycol (PEG), where the company has a leading market position, will remain part of BASF’s portfolio.

The intended divestiture is still subject to the successful completion of processes required by applicable law, including consultations with employee representations and the approval of the competent merger control authorities.

The transaction comprises the divestment of BASF’s production sites in Minden, Germany; Evionnaz, Switzerland; and Saint-Vulbas, France. The enterprise value is approximately €270 million. About 850 positions globally are in the scope of the transaction. BASF and Siegfried intend to transfer all affected employees to the acquiring company.

“BASF’s highly skilled team and its competitive plants for APIs and custom synthesis will give the new owner a strong market position and will create additional value,” said Michael Heinz, Member of the Board of Executive Directors, BASF SE, and responsible for the Performance Products segment, which includes the Nutrition & Health division. This segment bundles BASF’s businesses with chemicals that improve the properties of many different end-user products. “This step is in line with BASF’s strategy of actively managing its portfolio and it will further sharpen the focus of the Performance Products segment on growth and high margin core businesses,” said Heinz.

“With this divestiture, we are focusing our portfolio on strategic growth areas in the pharmaceutical industry,” said Saori Dubourg, President of BASF’s Nutrition & Health division.

Siegfried CEO Dr Rudolf Hanko: “Through this acquisition, Siegfried will reach the critical size to play a leading role in the supplier market as a recognized partner for the pharmaceutical industry. This acquisition demonstrates the growth potential for the Siegfried Group.”