Charles Russell advises on the disposal of Equateq Limited to BASF

8 August 2012

Charles Russell has advised the founders of Equateq Limited on the disposal of the entire issued share capital of the company to BASF (the world's leading chemical company). Equateq manufactures highly concentrated lipid APIs using its Maxomega(tm) technology at a production site located on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.

With the acquisition of Equateq, BASF extends its portfolio of omega-3 products for the pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industries with a new offering of highly concentrated omega-3 fatty acids. Equateq, with all its 47 employees, will be integrated into the Pharma Ingredients & Services unit, which is part of BASF's Nutrition & Health division. The integration is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.

The Charles Russell team was led by partners David Berry and Mark Howard with particular support from Tom Smitham (corporate), Erin Clarke (banking), Christopher Connors (corporate tax) and Chris Birch (IP/Life Sceinces).

Corporate partner David Berry commented, "We have acted for Equateq and its owners for a number of years and we have seen the business develop significantly in that time. We wish Equateq well under its new ownership."

Corporate partner, Mark Howard, added "Highly concentrated omega-3 fatty acids is a growing global market, as consumer awarness of the health benefits grows. Bringing Equateq under BASF's ownership combines BASF's global market reach and long-time experience with the unique technologies of Equateq. We are delighted to have acted on this transaction which highlights both our M&A expertise and Life Sciences credentials."

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