Germany's Merck Sells Skincare Co To Boots

Merck KGaA is to sell the majority of its dermatology business to UK-basedBoots, on behalf of Boots Healthcare International, for 500 million Deutschemarks ($277 million), payable in cash. The deal sees Boots acquiring Germany's leading medical skincare company Hermal Kurt Herman, as well as worldwide rights to a range of Merck skincare products.

The purchase includes modern manufacturing and product development facilities in Reinbek, near Hamburg, with around 400 Hermal employees in Germany and Merck's dermatological detailing forces in the UK, Austria and Switzerland transferring to Boots.

Commenting on the acquisition of Hermal, which reported worldwide sales of approximately 150 million marks in 1996, BHI's managing director Barry Clare said that Hermal's products would complement Boot's existing product range, and "speed up the international roll-out of our skincare products."