Equity Firm Buys Shionogi Qualicaps

Equity Firm Buys Shionogi Qualicaps

TOKYOThe private, globalequity firm Carlyle Group agreed to purchase four Qualicaps business units fromShionogi & Co. Ltd. (www.qualicaps.com) The transaction, a management buyout, willinclude all outstanding shares of Shionogi Qualicaps Co. Ltd., ShionogiQualicaps Inc., Shionogi Qualicaps S.A., and Shionogi Europe B.V. Under terms ofthe agreement, all current management teams for Shionogi will remain in place,and all employees will be retained, according to the companies. Financial termsof the transaction, which is expected to close in October 2005, were notdisclosed.

The Shionogi Qualicaps Group is the pre-eminent globalmanufacturer of hard capsules, said Tamotsu Adachi, managing partner and headof Japanese operations for Carlyle (www.thecarlylegroup.com). After more than40 years, it has achieved high recognition from countless customersincludingleading global pharmaceutical companiesthanks to the quality of its productsand global manufacturing and distribution capabilities across Japan, UnitedStates and Europe.

He reported Carlyle expects a steady market growth for hardcapsules in the health and nutrition sector, adding Carlyle has expertise in thehealth care sector via its many investments. By leveraging our know-how andexperience, we can support the global management of the Shionogi Qualicaps Groupand achieve further growth, he said.