TOKYO, ? Azbil Corporation has announced that to further cultivate and expand business in the Life Automation business field, it will newly launch a “Life Science Engineering (LSE) business” which will provide “next-generation solutions that integrate manufacturing equipments with environmental systems, inspired by automation technologies” to markets that contribute to people’s health. As the center of the LSE business, Azbil decides to acquire an 80% stake in Telstar, S.A. from the founding shareholders (the Capella family).

Telstar is a manufacturer possessing the technologies and know-how related to the manufacturing process mainly for pharmaceutical products. It provides freeze drying systems, sterilization systems, pharmaceutical water treatment equipment, steam generators, clean room equipment, and other solutions used in the pharmaceutical formulation process. It has a worldwide presence, with business operations established in 17 countries in Western Europe (including Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, Portugal, France and Sweden), Latin America, and North America.

In addition to supplying equipment and systems, Telstar also provides related services such as consulting, engineering, and construction, and it is aiming to be a one-stop solution company for clean rooms in pharmaceutical formulation plants, laboratories, and hospitals.

As a result of this capital participation, Telstar will become a subsidiary of Azbil Corporation, and three directors of the board at Telstar will be appointed by Azbil Corporation. (Ton Capella will remain as the President.) It also plans to change the company name to Azbil Telstar, S.A.,. Through this partnership, Azbil will strengthen its overseas sales operations by utilizing Telstar’s sales network established in the pharmaceutical, laboratory, and hospital sectors in Europe, Latin America, and North America, whilst Telstar will expand its business domain through Azbil’s operating bases in the Asian region, as well as strengthen its solution-providing capabilities by applying Azbil’s technologies to new product development and system integration.

Life Science Engineering business: This entity will combine Telstar’s design, engineering and manufacturing process knowledge with the azbil Group’s automation technologies to provide new solutions that realize enhanced safety and productivity in the process environments. It will develop business globally in emerging markets, such as biopharmaceutical, life science research, personalized medicine, regenerative medicine, and functional foods, etc., and is aiming to achieve sales of 20 billion Japanese yen and five years.

Hirozumi Sone, President and CEO of Azbil Corporation.

“After the new azbil Group started from 2012 April, and in further pursuing “human-centered automation,” we have been carrying out business reforms for further global growth. This tie-up will combine Azbil’s automation technologies with Telstar’s manufacturing process know-how to create and deliver new solutions that realize safer and more productive process environments. It also enables us to launch the Life Science Engineering business, which will expand the Life Automation business in emerging fields. Furthermore, by using the networks of the two companies, we intend to speed up the development of our global operations.”

Ton Capella, CEO of Telstar, S.A.

“Telstar was founded almost 50 years ago by Mr. Ramon Capella and has been a family owned company until now. By the mid 90s, the family decided to expand the business internationally and to focus on technologies to serve the life science market. As a result of that strategy, Telstar has experienced a very significant growth, organically and by acquisitions, achieving a wide international exposure and with key global players as clients in the life science market. In order to complete the project for growth, the family decided to look for a partner of a bigger business size, with a common strategy, with identified synergies and financially solid. Azbil has met all those requirements so it has been identified as the right strategic partner to further develop the Telstar business in the future with enhancing both synergies from sales, marketing, technology development, manufacturing, service and maintenance. My continuity as shareholder and as managing director keeps me with plenty of enthusiasm and motivation to the challenge of achieving 20 billion yen in five years time. Together with Azbil, we will make it possible.”