Sartorius sells off industrial technologies division

Sartorius has agreed a deal to sell its industrial technologies business – its smallest division – to Minebea and the Development Bank of Japan.

The transaction has been arranged to help Sartorius improve its focus on its core bioprocess and laboratory businesses, and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015. The sale price will be calculated as a multiple of the division's 2014 operating profit and will be fixed early next year.

With sites in Hamburg, Aachen and Bovenden, the business employs around 700 people worldwide and recorded sales of 102 million euros (80.05 million pounds) in 2013. All staff will transfer to the measurement components unit at Minebea.

Also known as Intec, the Sartorius industrial technologies business specialises in industrial weighing and control technologies and has achieved healthy profitability levels over the years.

Joachim Kreuzburg, chief executive officer and chairman of the executive board of Sartorius, said: "I am convinced that Minebea is the perfect new owner for this business because of the complementarity of the product portfolios and the geographical footprint, and also because of their commitment to long-term strategies and premium products."

Dr Kreuzburg's appointment as chief executive of the company was extended ahead of schedule earlier this month by an extra five years. He will continue to lead Sartorius until November 10th 2020.