Medline Industries plans to acquire a “significant portion” of respiratory products-maker Hudson RCI from Wayne, Pa.-based Teleflex, the Northfield-based medical supply company announced today.
The $286 million deal beefs up Medline’s respiratory offerings during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid buyout interest.
Several firms reportedly are preparing offers for Medline. At $30 billion, it could end up being one of the biggest leveraged buyouts ever.
Meanwhile, the Hudson RCI acquisition is expected to be finalized later this year.
The deal includes products for oxygen and aerosol therapy, active humidification and pulmonary hygiene, according to Teleflex statement, which notes that the products generated $139 million in revenue last year.
As a result of the acquisition, Medline will add nearly 1,000 employees, taking over one manufacturing facility in Arlington Heights and another in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, according to a Medline statement. It also plans to build new warehouses in Malaysia, South Korea and China to support the respiratory business expansion in Asia.
The move “signals the company's staunch commitment to growing its respiratory offerings in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Medline's statement says.
Individuals are exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 through respiratory droplets and aerosol particles. Some severe cases require ventilation to help individuals breathe.
Medline reported $17.5 billion in revenue last year, up 26 percent from 2019.
The company was thrust into the global spotlight early in the pandemic as a critical supplier of desperately needed personal protective equipment. In May 2020, CEO Charlie Mills told Crain’s the pandemic was hurting demand in Medline's larger product lines, while boosting sales in a relatively small corner of its business.
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