Newly Branded Freudenberg Medical Acquires Majority Stake in Hemoteq AG

Freudenberg Medical has acquired the majority of Hemoteq AG, a provider of surface coating technologies and related services for medical devices.

Hemoteq, based in Würselen, Germany, develops innovative coating solutions for combination products like drug-eluting stents, as well as coatings for catheters and cochlear implants, and also develops drug-coated balloon catheters. The company holds more than 100 technology patents in innovative surface technologies.

“Hemoteq’s coating technology adds a key technology component to our portfolio and represents an important milestone in our long-term strategy to provide a full suite of innovative technology services to our global medical device OEM customers,” said Jorg Schneewind, president and CEO of Freudenberg Medical.

Hemoteq provides services from medical device development to regulatory approval and serial production. Freudenberg Medical develops and manufactures minimally invasive systems as well as components made of silicone, thermoplastics, and specialty metals.

Under the transaction, Freudenberg Medical will acquire 75 percent of Hemoteq AG from the current shareholders, Earlybird Venture Capital and Pinova Capital. The remaining shares are held by the founders of Hemoteq, Michael Hoffmann and Roland Horres, who together with Chief Financial Officer Thomas Löwen, will continue managing the company. Max Kley, president of Freudenberg Medical Europe and Specialty Components, will become chairman of the supervisory board.

“The product and service spectrum of Hemoteq perfectly complements the capabilities of Freudenberg Medical,” said Kley. “With the combination of our material and processing expertise and Hemoteq’s coating technologies we can provide our customers a unique portfolio of product solutions.”

With 10 manufacturing operations worldwide (primary U.S. operations are in Carpinteria, Calif.), Freudenberg Medical makes high-precision silicone and thermoplastic components and tubing to metal hypotubes and minimally invasive and catheter-based devices.

Freudenberg Medical is a division of the Germany-based Freudenberg Group. The company recently rebranded as Freudenberg Medical after combining its Helix Medical and MedVenture Technology holdings. The new brand, according to a press release from the company, “emphasizes the business group’s role as a global development and innovation partner to the medical device and pharmaceutical industries.”

Freudenberg Medical develops and manufactures specialty components and minimally invasive device solutions for medtech OEMs worldwide. Under the HelixMark and PharmaFocus brands, Freudenberg Medical offers silicone tubing and related products to the pharmaceutical industry. MedVenture Technology specializes in the development and manufacture of minimally invasive systems and catheters. Freudenberg Medical also develops and markets proprietary ear, nose and throat applications under the InHealth Technologies brand.

Freudenberg Medical holds a 50 percent share of two joint venture companies—VistaMed Ltd., a manufacturer of catheters and catheter components, and Cambus Medical, a manufacturer of metal hypotubes for catheter systems.

Freudenberg Medical has 10 production sites in the United States, Costa Rica, Germany, Ireland and China.