The deal – financial terms of which have not been disclosed – includes all four Eisai Machinery subsidiaries: Eisai Machinery (Japan), Eisai Machinery USA (North America), Eisai Machinery (Germany) and Eisai Machinery Shanghai (China).
Bosch spokeswoman Inga Strobel confirmed that the deal has completed, telling in-Pharmatechnologist.com that: “Eisai Machinery is now part of the Bosch group.”
Strobel also set out Bosch’s reasons for making the acqusition, explaining that: “For Bosch Packaging Technology Inspection Technology is a main strategic field,” adding that the firm “wants to expand its inspection competence.”
Pharmaceutical particle inspection technologies are one of the key focuses for the German firm according to Strobel who went on to say that – within this field – sterile liquids and solid dosage forms are among the firm’s priority areas.
She added that: “Bosch has acquired the company in order to grow together with the management and the associates” when asked how Bosch plans to integrate the businesses and technologies acquired with Eisai Machinery.
Asian growth
The Eisai deal – particularly the Japanese and Chinese units Bosch has bought – further indicates the firm’s interest in the Asia’s rapidly expanding pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.
In November last year the firm announced its intention to set up a second production facility in China, citing growing local demand for production and processing technologies as one of the key drivers for the investment.
The following month Bosch launched an integrated new melt extrusion and calendaring line and again suggested that Asia is an increasingly important market.