Originally Published EMDM
May/June 2004
Industry News
IBA to Sell SterigenicsNorbert Sparrow
It’s the morning after for
IBA (Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium). The company went on a shopping binge in the late 1990s, acquiring a host of sterilization firms. Faced with substantial debt and hurt by an unfavourable exchange rate, IBA announced in March that it will dispose of its Sterilization and Ionization (S&I) division, which includes
Sterigenics (Verviers, Belgium). Pending approval from US authorities, PPM Ventures investment fund, part of the UK-based Prudential plc, will acquire the S&I business.
A press release issued by the group stresses that the transaction only affects the services part of IBA’s business. It will retain responsibility for the development and marketing of its particle accelerators, the company’s traditional activity.
Changes at the top have not, thus far, affected Sterigenics’ ongoing projects. The firm recently announced the installation of a compact gamma cell suited for R&D use at its facility in Fleurus, Belgium. The cell provides a more precise dose than commercial units. This can be critical when exact minimum and maximum overdose ratios are required. The cell is also suited for gauging the effect that varying doses may have on a material. State-of-the-art process control equipment ensures that precise dosages are delivered.
Small-volume finished goods, raw materials, and serums stand to benefit from this technology. The cell is also suited for quarterly dose auditing and validation. Other possible applications include materials research, dosimetry calibration, and studying the effects of radiation on biosystems.
For additional information, contact Sterigenics, Zoning Industriel Petit Rechain, Avenue du Parc, B-4800 Verviers, Belgium; phone: +32 71 810084; fax: +32 71 816353; e-mail:
info@iba-sni.com; Internet: www.sterigenics.com.
Copyright ©2004 European Medical Device Manufacturer
