Bayer MaterialScience (BMS, Leverkusen / Germany; www.bayerbms.com) has agreed to sell its Thermoplastics Testing Centre (TTC) to leading European testing and certification institute Underwriters Laboratories (UL, Neu-Isenburg / Germany; www.ul-europe.com). TTC's 65 employees will all be taken over by Underwriters Laboratories. The deal is scheduled to be completed by the second quarter of 2009. Financial details have not been revealed.

Keith Williams, UL's president and CEO, called the acquisition "an appropriate investment," adding that "The Thermoplastics Testing Centre commands employees, know-how and a facility of the latest technical standing, providing an excellent service." Bill Colavecchio, UL vice president and general manager for the global chemical sector, added that the acquisition of a centre like TTC would allow UL "to offer our clients expanded test capacities and expertise for plastics usage."

Once the deal is completed, UL International TTC GmbH will operate as a subsidiary of UL International Germany GmbH, Neu-Isenburg.

The TCC, based in Chempark Krefeld-Uerdingen, is one of Europe's leading testing and certification institutes, with a capacity of carrying out more than 200 different testing procedures, mostly for thermoplastics.