Semperit completes sale of medical gloves business

Vienna – Semperit Group has completed the sale of its medical rubber gloves business, Sempermed, to southeast Asian gloves manufacturer Harps Global Pte. Ltd. 

The €115-million deal was announced in December last year and was completed after receiving all regulatory approvals on 31 Aug, the Austrian group announced.

The purchase price was subject to “usual price adjustment mechanisms,” the statement pointed out.

“With the divestment of the medical business, we have implemented our transformation into an industrial rubber and elastomers specialist,” said CEO Karl Haider.

According to the Semperit leader, going forward the group will be “fully focused” on developing and expanding its position in the market for industrial polymer products.

“This is where we see the greatest long-term potential for Semperit,” Haider, noting that “an important growth step has already been taken with the acquisition of the Rico Group.”

Haider went on to say that Sempermed had “found a responsible owner” in Harps, which could expand its product portfolio and sales markets.

The sale of Sempermed involved initially divesting medical examination glove production and porcelain dip moulding operations in Kamunting, Malaysia as well as sales & distribution units.

Within five years, Semperit’s production of surgical gloves in Wimpassing, Austria and other operations in Sopron, Hungary, are to be transferred to Harps.

Until the second phase of the sale is completed, surgical gloves will be produced for Harps under a contract manufacturing arrangement.