DuPont Acquires Antec International; Strengthens Position as a Leading Supplier of Biosecurity Materials

WILMINGTON, Del. and SUFFOLK, England -- DuPont today announced its acquisition of Antec International, a leading biosecurity company providing human and animal health emergency disease control. Antec products are used throughout the world to protect food supplies from viruses such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and the public from illness-causing germs such as the Norwalk-like virus that impacted the cruise ship industry last winter.

"This acquisition is a strategic fit for DuPont, building on our expertise in cleaning and disinfecting solutions that protect people, operations and the global food chain from the potential spread of virus and disease," said DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise vice president and general manager Nick C. Fanandakis. "We will continue to develop and strengthen the suite of biosecurity solutions produced by Antec while providing DuPont scientific innovations that further develop this important class of cleaning and disinfecting agents as part of our growing Clean & Disinfect business."

DuPont has been a supplier of the active ingredient in many Antec products for over 15 years. In 2001, DuPont and Antec joined forces to provide additional supplies of one of Antec's premier products -- Virkon S -- to over 100 countries during the height of the FMD outbreak. Antec products are used not only to attack disease outbreaks but also as a preventive agent, preventing infection before it starts.

"Our strong relationship with DuPont spans the past 15 years and is built upon our shared common goal -- to protect the global environment from the threat of disease," said Antec International chief executive Ralph Auchincloss. "Our broad range of effective products is tailored to specific disease challenges and conditions. They also are effective against new and emerging pathogens, yet are friendly to man, animals and the environment. With DuPont's strength in science and innovation and its global access to market, we view this as the next logical step for the growth of this business."

Source: DuPont