Sartorius has signed an agreement to acquire the liquid handling business of the Finnish lab supplier Biohit Oyj for $93.2 million. The segment, which employs 400 people, generated sales of approximately $50 million in 2010. Major customers include research, quality assurance, academic labs, and hospitals. The acquisition expands Sartorius’ product portfolio in the area of lab instruments, which currently includes lab balances, lab water purification systems, moisture analyzers and sample preparation consumables.

“Pipettes are the ideal addition to our laboratory product offering,” said Dr. Joachim Kreuzburg, chief executive officer and executive board chairman of Sartorius AG. “Just like our balances, they are among the most frequently used lab instruments with especially high customer requirements regarding their precision, reliability, safety and service support. Biohit is one of the leading suppliers in this field, known worldwide for innovative solutions and high quality. With this acquisition, we will substantially strengthen our strategic positioning with our customers and move significantly toward our goal of serving as a broad-based supplier of high-quality laboratory instruments and consumables supported by excellent service.” 


Professor Osmo Suovaniemi, the founder and chairman of the board of Biohit Oyj, said, “We are really happy to have found a buyer in Sartorius whose strategic objective is an excellent fit with our liquid handling business and who will continue to further develop it on a global basis. Access to the strong global market presence and customer base of Sartorius will provide excellent prospects for growth.”


The acquisition covers all assets of the liquid handling segment, including its production facilities in Finland and China, as well as its sales subsidiaries in eight countries. The acquisition, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in December 2011.