Royal DSM N.V., the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences
company headquartered in the Netherlands, today announces that it has
closed the acquisition of The Polymer Technology Group, Inc. (PTG) of
Berkeley (California, United States), a market leader in the field of
biomedical polymers.
Through this acquisition DSM gains a global leading position in the
fast growing biomedical materials market. PTG will now be known as
DSM PTG. The acquisition was announced on 28 April 2008.
Steve Hartig, President DSM Biomedical, commented: "We are excited
that our acquisition of PTG has closed and look forward to moving
forward with a combined effort. With PTG, DSM obtains a leading
position in the field of biomedical polymers. This acquisition will
enable us to grow a unique portfolio of materials-based technologies
for the healthcare market. This will allow acceleration in our
business growth and market presence."
Bob Ward, President and one of the founders of PTG: "We see the
combination of PTG and DSM's biomedical activities as a huge step
allowing us to better serve our customers in the medical device and
pharmaceutical industries by bringing a much greater breadth of
products, technology and services to bear."
The DSM Biomedical and PTG organization will be closely linked to
best service the global market. To secure a smooth integration Bob
Ward will stay on as President of DSM PTG.
The acquisition of PTG is an important step for DSM in realizing its
ambitions in Biomedical Materials, one of the Emerging Business Areas
defined in DSM's Vision 2010 strategy. Being active in both Materials
Sciences and Life Sciences, DSM is in a unique position and can
combine its abilities in both market segments resulting in new,
innovative products that address societal needs in this particular
case in healthcare.
DSM Biomedical
To meet the upcoming needs of the medical and biotech industries, DSM
Biomedical builds on the expertise and strengths of DSM in polymers,
coating technology, materials science and life sciences. DSM's
current biomedical portfolio includes ComfortCoat(TM) hydrophilic and
antimicrobial coating technology for catheters, guidewires and stent
delivery systems and Dyneema Purity®, a high performance polyethylene
fiber technology, which has been developed specifically for use in
medical applications, such as orthopedic implants. Furthermore, a
research and development program specifically aimed at extending
DSM's material portfolio for the orthopedic industry has been
started. Moreover, DSM Biomedical is focusing on developing materials
and systems around implantable devices for the musculoskeletal and
vascular systems and drug delivery devices in musculoskeletal,
vascular and ophthalmic application areas. For more information,
visit www.dsmbiomedical.com.
DSM - the Life Sciences and Materials Sciences Company
Royal DSM N.V. creates innovative products and services in Life
Sciences and Materials Sciences that contribute to the quality of
life. DSM's products and services are used globally in a wide range
of markets and applications, supporting a healthier, more sustainable
and more enjoyable way of life. End markets include human and animal
nutrition and health, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive,
coatings and paint, electrics and electronics, life protection and
housing. DSM has annual sales of almost EUR 8.8 billion and employs
some 23,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in the
Netherlands, with locations on five continents. DSM is listed on
Euronext Amsterdam. More information: www.dsm.com.
The Polymer Technology Group (PTG)
PTG was co-founded in 1989 by Bob Ward, a recognized pioneer in the
field of biomaterials. It is vertically-integrated, in research,
development, design, scale-up, and manufacture of new polymers,
components and medical devices. PTG's materials portfolio includes
some of the world's most extensively tested biomaterials in clinical
use today: BioSpan® segmented polyurethane, Bionate® polycarbonate
urethane and CarboSil® silicone polycarbonate urethane. PTG recently
expanded operations to 70,000-square-feet comprise the equipment and
expertise to support production-scale polymer synthesis through
contract medical device manufacturing. More information:
www.polymertech.com
For more information:
DSM Corporate Communications DSM Investor Relations
Elvira Luykx Hans Vossen
tel. +31 (0) 45 tel. +31 (0) 45 5782864
5782035 fax +31 (0) 45 5782595
fax +31 (0) 45 e-mail
5740680 investor.relations@dsm.com
e-mail media.relations@dsm.com