LAW firm Dickinson Dees has advised the Indian chemicals manufacturer Vivimed Labs Ltd on the £36m acquisition of Uquifa of Spain.
Uquifa is the pharmaceutical division of UK-based Yule Catto plc and manufactures Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry.
Philip Ashworth, corporate partner at Newcastle-based Dickinson Dees’ Yorkshire office, said: “This has been a fascinating deal to work on. Vivimed Labs is a world-leading organisation with a large portfolio of pharmaceutical products and manufacturing facilities.
“The company has been building on its existing success through its continued acquisition strategy. In 2008, Vivimed bought the Huddersfield-based dye manufacturer James Robinson to strengthen its European presence and the Uquifa deal builds on this strategy. A strategic acquisition such as this with product registrations and specialised facilities, will help Vivimed to serve its export markets and global clients more effectively.”
Uquifa operates three manufacturing sites, two in Spain and one in Mexico. Dickinson Dees gave comprehensive advice to Vivimed on the deal, acting as project managers across three continents, with Vivimed based in Hyderabad and Uquifa having sites in both Spain and Mexico.
“We provided advice on banking, finance, taxation and the law, all of which was complex because of the different countries in which Vivimed and Uquifa are based. This made it a uniquely challenging, and extremely satisfying, deal to be involved in,” said Mr Ashworth.
Santosh Varalwar, chairman and managing director of Vivimed Labs said: “The fact that Uquifa is based in over four countries made the need to create an efficient regulatory model to acquire, all the more important.
“Dickinson Dees, led by Philip Ashworth, displayed its strengths in carving out a smooth and efficient deal which will see our India-facing business aligned with Uquifa. Strengthening of research and development efforts, opening out new markets and the untapped potential of our combined knowledge of the pharmaceutical sector, together with our consolidated customer base, will mean Uquifa can reinforce its position in the marketplace.”
Vivimed is a vendor of leading global manufacturers of beauty care products such as hair, skin, oral and industrial care. Global firms including Unilever Plc, Procter and Gamble Co., Johnson and Johnson Pharma, Glaxo Smith Kline, Novartis AG and AstraZeneca are amongst its clients.
Yule Catto was represented by Pinsent Masons in Leeds and Sunil Arab, of Sriimahi Ltd, a cross-border M&A advisory firm based in Hong Kong, also advised on the acquisition.
