Chemicals and Life Sciences
M&A Director
M&A Director
Q4 2021
The newsletter for M&A and corporate development directors
of mid-market chemicals and life sciences businesses
of mid-market chemicals and life sciences businesses
Dear Reader,
Welcome to our final quarterly newsletter of 2021.
I was delighted to start visiting contacts and touring facilities again last month, I even managed to attend a conference! Many of the discussions centered around a feeling of emergence from the storm of the pandemic and an urgency to return to growth and capture new opportunities.
This is a theme we have explored within our advisory/NED network and we've seen a corresponding uptick in growth and M&A activity as clients increasingly look at adjacent markets and financing options they perhaps had not considered before.
If you are facing similar decisions and could use some external input, please drop me a line at matt.dixon@ccdpartners.com.
Wishing everyone health and happiness,
Matt Dixon, CCD Partners
Featured Article - Steve Allin
Charnwood Molecular’s journey from university spin-off to high-growth, PE-backed integrated drug discovery leader
CCD Partners’ Matt Dixon spoke with Steve Allin, co-founder of Charnwood Molecular, about the journey from full-time academia to running a high-growth market leader and the experience of securing private equity investment.
“Chemical Transformations Podcast: the art of unlocking sustainable commercial potential”
Episode 3: Steve Allin
CCD Partners Managing Partner Matt Dixon and Charnwood Molecular co-founder Steve Allin discuss Charnwood's evolution from university spin-off to a fast-growing leader in the drug discovery space, including the decision to partner with Synova Capital, welcoming a new senior management team, the company's first acquisition and the move into a former AstraZeneca research facility.
Audio-only podcast:
Deal Summary
Our focus is on the smaller private market deals that tend to be less reported in major publications. We have tracked more than 50 such M&A transaction announcements in the last quarter.
Our top six deals from last quarter are:
| Target | Buyer | Seller | Target Sector | Synopsis / Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verkor | Arkema | Private | Specialty Chemicals and Advanced Materials | Arkema accelerates its batteries strategy in Europe with investment in Verkor |
| Integrity Bio | Curia | Private | Fine Chemicals and Life Science Contract Services | Curia to Acquire Integrity Bio, Expanding Biologic Formulation and Fill-Finish Capabilities |
| Matrix Chemical | Brenntag | Private | Chemical Distribution and Support Services | Brenntag Acquires US Solvents Distributor Matrix Chemical |
| Rit-Chem | Safic-Alcan | Private | Chemical Distribution and Support Services | Safic-Alcan acquires Rit-Chem |
| Potassium chloride and vaccine adjuvants businesses | Vertellus | Chemtrade | Specialty Chemicals and Advanced Materials | Chemtrade to Sell Two Specialty Chemical Businesses to Vertellus |
| Idifarma | Ardena | Suanfarma | Fine Chemicals and Life Science Contract Services | Ardena acquires Idifarma from Suanfarma, adding spray drying technology and high potency capabilities |
View full list
Sign up to our weekly trackerKey Appointments
We track the career movement of senior executives instrumental in shaping strategic organisational development through transformative transactions or other means.
Our top five moves from last quarter are:
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philippe Deecke | Novartis | Lonza | CFO |
| Bob Patel | LyondellBasell | W. R. Grace | CEO |
| Daniel Witthaut | Evonik | European Chemical Industry Council | Executive Director Innovation |
| Alessandro de Luca | Internal appointment | Merck | Group Chief Information Officer |
| Dave Roesser | Cargill | Encina | CEO |
View full list
Sign up to our weekly trackerThird Party Recommended Reading
Asymmetric organocatalysis scoops 2021 chemistry Nobel prize
“Work that has created new, environmentally friendly ways of making molecules has won the 2021 Nobel prize in chemistry.”
Navigating innovation in the chemical industry
“The chemical sector has suffered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its related economic downturn. But even with an uncertain future, there’s always opportunity.”
Big ambitions for India’s contract research firms
“The country’s CROs want a seat at the global drug discovery table.”
Biopharma CRO industry in China: landscape and opportunities
"The biologics and pharmaceutical development services represent key future growth areas, with CROs showing an increasing appetite for risk-sharing partnerships."
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