Kendro Laboratory Products

Acquires CARR Separation, Inc.

Kendo Laboratory Products, LP, of Newtown, a global leader in designing, manufacturing, and marketing sample-preparation products and services for the life-science market, announced that it has acquired CARR Separations, Inc. Terms were not disclosed.

CARR, based in Franklin, Massachusetts, designs, manufactures, and markets a line of high-capacity, high-speed centrifuges used worldwide in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and specialty-chemical industries.

The addition of CARR’s product line, marketed as Powerfuge Separation Systems, provides Kendro with a complete line of bioprocessing centrifuges for separation and purification of cellular-based and sub-cellular-based products. These instruments separate solids from liquids in the production and purification of biological and chemical products. The Powerfuge has a unique design that enables higher product yields and full automation.

“The acquisition of CARR complements our strengths and fits well with our growth strategy in life sciences,” said Marc N. Casper, president and chief executive officer of Kendro. “CARR’s excellent product line enhances our ability to serve our customers’ present and future needs in biopharmaceuticals and other developing fields by providing complete scalable solutions for their equipment requirements.”

By offering scalable systems, Kendro will provide customers with the ability to scale up a process from R&D to full commercial production. In this way, the enhanced Kendro product portfolio will be uniquely positioned in the bioprocessing market.

“In addition to combining product lines, Kendro will provide us with greater resources and avenues for growth,” said John Chickosky, CARR vice president, sales.

According to Mr Casper, Kendro’s goal is to sustain annual revenue growth of more than 10 percent, excluding acquisitions. A key strategy in attaining this goal is to expand in high-growth niches of life sciences, such as bioprocessing.

Kendro has annual sales exceeding $200 million and more than 1,200 employees. Its products include centrifuges, incubators, ovens, freezers, and clean-air equipment. Kendro conducts business in more than 150 countries. Kendro was formed in 1998 by the merger of Sorvall Products, LP, formerly a division of DuPont, and Heraeus Instruments GmnH, the laboratory products business of Heraeus Holding GmnH.

CARR Separations, Inc., founded in 1993, markets its Powerfuge line of centrifuges globally through direct sales representatives and distributions.

Kendro is a portfolio company of Chicago-based Banc One Venture Partners. Heraeus Holding, GmbH, of Hanau, Germany, is also a major investor in the company.