SCHOTT AG to acquire Australian microfluidic expert MINIFAB

Customers to benefit from complementary portfolio of top quality polymer and glass solutions for breakthrough diagnostics applications

SCHOTT AG, a international technology in the areas of specialty glass and glass-ceramics, has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire the Australian microfluidic company MINIFAB Pty.

SCHOTT has been supplying glass substrates and coatings for diagnostics from its site in Jena, Germany, for more than 15 years. Photo: SCHOTT

This strategic move will allow both partners to significantly enhance their portfolios in the diagnostics market. While MINIFAB is a innovator in customized polymer microfluidics. SCHOTT is the world’s supplier of glass substrates for microarrays and microfluidic components made of glass. By setting up centers of excellence for polymer in Australia and glass in Germany, both will be able to serve their existing customer bases as well as new customers even more effectively in the future.

MINIFAB is a contract-engineering firm with 150 employees that provides custom development and manufacturing of polymer microfluidic and micro engineered solutions to international blue chip companies and start-ups in the field of diagnostics, medical devices and environmental monitoring. Founded in 2002, the company is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, and has operations in Europe and the US.

“MINIFAB’s expertise in business development is unprecedented in the industry,” said Dr. Heinz Kaiser, the member of the SCHOTT Board of Management responsible for the diagnostics business. “The combining of our internationally renowned glass development and technology expertise together with MINIFAB’s comprehensive polymer technology suite will enable customers from the diagnostics industry to choose from a broad variety of options for their individual applications,” he explained.

“SCHOTT and MINIFAB share a great passion for excellence in highly precise solutions for breakthrough diagnostics applications that improve the daily lives of millions of people. Joining forces will give us the unique possibility to expand our international footprint. Our engineers, bioscientists and manufacturing experts are excited to work with the glass experts from SCHOTT to develop even better diagnostics solutions for the future,” said Michael Wilkinson, Executive Director & Acting CEO of MINIFAB.  

SCHOTT is targeting to close the transaction in the coming months subject to customary closing conditions.