Bohdan Acquisition Broadens Mettler's Process Capabilities

By Angelo DePalma

The acquisition of Bohdan Automation, Inc. (Mundelein, IL) by Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. (Griefensee, Switzerland), announced on July 8, broadens Mettler's products and capabilities for pharmaceutical development. Mettler, already a leader in laboratory balances and calorimeters, now has automated synthesis and sample preparation products to complement its analytical process development line.

Bohdan's lab automation products cover the same industries as Mettler's: chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and agriculture. In pharmaceutical settings its products accelerate development of new drugs, as well as providing rapid platforms for scaleup and process design. With the Bohdan acquisition Mettler's laboratory influence now stretches from early discovery (via Bohdan's automated combinatorial chemistry systems) through process development and beyond (through Mettler's existing products).

Robert F. Spoerry, president and CEO of Mettler-Toledo, described the acquisition as "a marriage of strengths," one of which is Mettler-Toledo's global distribution network, which Bohdan lacks. "Bohdan's synthesis products complement and enhance our line of laboratory products and can be sold to customers through our existing distribution channels. In addition, Bohdan's automation technology can be integrated with our own laboratory technology to form comprehensive solutions for our customers."

Swiss-based Mettler-Toledo has entered growth mode and intends to continue to expand its laboratory and process product line. The company began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on November 14, 1997, and on July 1, 1998 the company registered for a secondary stock offering of 10 million shares at $20. Company sales for the twelve months ending March 31, 1998, were $897 million.

For more information: Robert Spoerry, Business Manager, Mettler-Toledo AG, Im Langacher, P.O. Box CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland. Tel: +41-1-944-45-45.