Springer purchases Wolters Kluwer’s marketing division

Springer Science and Business Media has completed the acquisition of the pharma-related marketing and publishing services (MPS) business unit of information company Wolters Kluwer.

The takeover, which was announced in November 2011, has now been finalised, allowing Springer to take control of one of the world's top five largest providers of strategic marketing, publishing and business intelligence products and services.

MPS employs around 450 people and has offices in the UK, US, New Zealand and Italy, with offerings including drug development and safety databases, commercial market analysis, marketing communications and journal publication.

Explaining the decision to acquire the firm in November, Springer's chief executive officer Derk Haank said: "MPS' high-quality content and services for corporate customers and academics form a perfect complement to our existing portfolio."

Meanwhile, Wolters Kluwer business leader Nancy McKinstry said the sale will allow it focus on the core healthcare operations encompassed by its health and pharma solutions division.