Fujifilm acquires Wako

Japan’s Fujifilm has acquired Wako Pure Chemical Industries for $1.3 billion and is now creating a fine chemicals division to house its chemical operations. Wako, previously majority-owned by Takeda Pharmaceutical and Nihon Pharmaceutical, supplies about 200,000 lab chemicals and produces diagnostic reagents and fine chemicals used in the life sciences and electronics industries. Fujifilm says the acquisition of Wako will boost its presence in the fine chemicals and life sciences sectors, where by itself or through subsidiaries, it already provides electronic materials, cells used in regenerative medicine (see page 23), and contract manufacturing services. Fujifilm notes that it has long experience in the fine chemicals sector thanks to its roots as a producer of photographic film.