H.B. Fuller Bids on Advanced Medical Solutions

Adhesives maker H.B. Fuller Company has made a recommended cash offer to acquire Advanced Medical Solutions Group.

“This transaction is a rare opportunity to advance the evolution of our portfolio,” says Celeste Mastin, president and CEO of H.B. Fuller. “We have long been clear that medical is a core strategic growth market for H.B. Fuller given its durable demand trends, high regulatory-based entry barriers, and margin profile. Accordingly, we have thoroughly analyzed this structurally scarce market to identify the most attractive assets and growth opportunities.

“Advanced Medical Solutions has built an exceptional business as a differentiated formulator with an innovation-led platform, an outstanding product suite, impressive R&D capabilities, and a global commercial footprint with supporting regulatory expertise. The transaction is expected to result in significant revenue and cost synergies, and accelerate our transformation into a higher-growth, higher-margin business. We remain committed to disciplined and balanced capital allocation and believe that the continued up-tiering of our portfolio, as well as the other steps we are taking to improve our cost structure and cash flow profile, will allow for robust de-leveraging post-acquisition.”

AMS brings a portfolio of differentiated surgical adhesive technologies in a market benefitting from durable growth tailwinds. The acquisition will extend H.B. Fuller’s capabilities across tissue bonding adhesives, tapes and dressings and formulated biosurgicals. By adding these solutions to H.B. Fuller’s current portfolio, the Company’s TAM is expected to increase by $15 billion to $95 billion.

Additionally, AMS’s large, dedicated pan-European salesforce across core healthcare markets, hospital systems, and specialty distributors is expected to facilitate immediate cross-selling opportunities for H.B. Fuller’s current portfolio. In turn, AMS will leverage H.B. Fuller’s significant U.S. infrastructure, pairing it with AMS’s distribution network of market leaders to accelerate U.S. penetration.

H.B. Fuller expects to capture approximately $55 million or approximately £41 million in combined run-rate revenue and cost synergies by 2031, including the elimination of public company costs, rationalization of certain overlapping expenses, and sourcing savings.  H.B. Fuller has established a long-term target to achieve 5% annual constant currency revenue growth and greater than 20% EBITDA margins. AMS is expected to increase H.B. Fuller’s annual revenues by approximately $300 million, while driving positive mix shift, creating significant revenue growth and EBITDA compounding opportunities.