Sanner Strengthens Medtech CDMO Services with Springboard Acquisition

Germany’s Sanner Group, a global healthcare packaging manufacturer and medical device contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), today announced the acquisition of Springboard, a design and development firm specialized in medical devices for regulated markets.

Sanner said the acquisition is in line with its goal of building a suite of “world-leading services for customers across the drug-delivery, diagnostic, and medtech device sectors." Springboard’s extensive capabilities will substantially boost Sanner Group’s in-house medical device development services and see the establishment of a new Design Center of Excellence in the UK, the company added.

From desiccants to devices

"Sanner Group has transformed from a market leader in desiccant closures and effervescent tablet packaging to a sought-after provider of customer-specific solutions in the fields of medical technology, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and consumer healthcare," commented CEO Hans-Willem van Vliet in a prepared statement. "The acquisition of Springboard further strengthens this offering, giving our customers deep expertise and support across the entire medical device development process, from initial concept design to commercial manufacturing."

Van Vliet also noted Springboard’s reputation for delivering exceptional concept-to-manufacture design services and its ability to solve complex technical and scientific problems for customers.

Related:Sanner Grows Contract Development and Manufacturing Services for Device OEMs

Engineering expertise combined with multidisciplinary scientific skills

Based at the St. John’s Innovation Centre in Cambridge, UK, Springboard specializes in developing devices from initial concept to manufacture with a full suite of engineering expertise and multidisciplinary scientific skills, delivering a full service offering to its customers for both pre- and post-product launch, said the news release published on the Sanner website. Springboard’s expertise spans across drug-delivery devices and equipment and consumables in respiratory, surgical, critical care, implantable, diagnostic, and biotechnology applications.

Sanner announced early last year at Pharmapack in Paris that it planned to make its CDMO services for medical device OEMs a strategic focus and would expand this business segment going forward. The acquisition of Springboard is an important part of this strategy, according to the 120-year-old company based in Bensheim, Germany. The new Design Center of Excellence will be at the core of this, the company added.

“We are excited to join Sanner Group to form its Design Center of Excellence for medical device development,” said Tom Oakley, director of Springboard. “Our clients, from the largest multinational companies to the fastest growing startups, will not only be able to access design innovation based on first class scientific and engineering capabilities, but also benefit from integrated design for manufacturing. We can support every project from small-scale production for verification and clinical trials to full-scale serial production within the Sanner Group’s global manufacturing facilities.”

Sanner boosting capacity by 80% in China

Sanner currently maintains a sales office in Kentucky and has manufacturing operations in Germany, France, Hungary, and China. In September, it announced that it would build a new production plant alongside its existing facility in Kunshan, China, boosting capacity for the production of drug-delivery devices and pharmaceutical and medical packaging by 80%.

The terms of the Springboard transaction were not disclosed. Sanner Group received financial advice related to the acquisition from Alvarez & Marsal. Deloitte served as tax structuring advisors and Norton Rose Fulbright acted as legal advisors. Prism Corporate Broking and Integrity Tax advised Springboard, with HCR Legal LLP acting as legal advisor.

Sanner Group will exhibit at Pharmapack 2024 in Paris on Jan. 24 and 25 in booth B87 and at MD&M West in Anaheim, CA, on Feb. 6 to 8 in booth 3167.