German precision injection moulder Balda (Bad Oeynhausen; www.balda.de) has acquired medical components producer C Brewer (Anaheim, California / USA; www.cbrewer.com) for around EUR 33m, providing it with a foothold in the world’s largest healthcare market. The American company specialises in precision injection-moulded plastics and associated moulds and develops and manufactures solutions for customers, particularly in the medical technology, diagnostics and optical industries, but also in the automotive and electronics sectors.

C Brewer anticipates revenues of around USD 48m (EUR 36m) in the 2012 calendar year. Balda said the purchase price is based on a multiple of less than seven times the expected adjusted EBITDA in 2012. Around one-third of C Brewer’s revenues come from medical clients, with 50% coming from optics. The family-owned company was founded in 1966 and operates at three locations in California (Anaheim, Irvine and Ontario), employing around 500 people.

Closing on the same day as the C Brewer acquisition was another new addition to the Balda group. On 31 December 2012, injection-moulded plastics and moulds manufacturer HK Plastics Engineering (Oceanside, California / USA; www.hkplasticseng.com) was acquired for "a higher single-digit" figure, the German group said, adding that the final price was based on a multiple of less than seven times the expected adjusted EBITDA for 2012.

Founded in 1974, HK Plastics Engineering has 80 employees who specialise in design and development, tool manufacturing, moulding and mechanical installations. The company expects revenues of about USD 15m (EUR 11.5m) as well as positive operating earnings in 2012.

Commenting on the purchases, Balda CEO Dominik Müser said: “The USA is the largest healthcare market in the world. Therefore, it is of fundamental importance for the development of our group to have a presence there with our own production locations.”