Körber Plans to Acquire Werum IT Solutions

International technology group Körber is looking to acquire Werum IT Solutions, formerly Werum Software & Systems, based in Lüneburg, Germany. Werum is a provider of software for production control and production monitoring for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry. The objective of the acquisition is to further expand the Körber Group’s Medipak Systems Business Area, which specialises in inspection and packaging technologies as well as the manufacture of high-quality packaging for pharmaceutical products.

As the holding company of the Medipak Systems Business Area, Körber Medipak Systems is aiming to use the acquisition to extend its expertise in the cutting-edge market for software solutions in the field of production control and monitoring. Werum is a provider of manufacturing execution systems (MES) for the pharmaceutical and biotechnological manufacture of pharmaceuticals. The company shares are held largely by current and former employees. The aim is to acquire 100% of the shares.

Werum IT Solutions has a total of some 400 employees at ten sites in Europe, the US, Japan and Singapore. Since the early nineties, Werum has specialised in software for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.  

Within the Körber Medipak Systems Business Area, Werum would operate as an additional business field alongside the existing fields of Pharma Materials (development and manufacture of high-quality packaging) and Pharma Technology (inspection and packaging machines for the pharmaceutical industry).

Following the purchase of the shares, the acquisition would be subject to the approval of the anti-trust authorities.

Ahead of the planned sale, the original Werum Software & Systems AG was split into two companies. As part of this, Werum Software & Systems CIS AG was founded. This company has around 100 employees and develops and markets software for other sectors outside the pharmaceutical industry (inter alia measurement data management, earth observation and eGovernment). The company Werum Software & Systems CIS AG is not part of the planned transaction and will continue to operate as an independent company with an independent management team.

Körber AG is the holding company of an international technology group with about 11,000 employees around the world. Its sales total just above €2 (£1.7/$2.7 billion).

Körber Medipak Systems unites four companies. Sites in Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and the US offer solutions, technologies and services for the entire pharmaceutical packaging process, ranging from the development of standard and special folding boxes through packaging and inspection machines to complete track and trace solutions.

Körber Medipak Systems GmbH, +49 40 21107 484, britta.riemann@medipak-systems.com, www.medipak-systems.com.

Werum Software & Systems AG, +49 4131 8900 689, dirk.ebbecke@werum.com, www.werum.com.