DANBURY, Conn. and GOETTINGEN, Germany, April 15, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- ATMI, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATMI) and Sartorius Stedim Biotech SA have agreed that Sartorius Stedim will distribute and market ATMI LifeSciences' unique LevTech(r) levitated mixing system together with Sartorius Stedim's own biopharmaceutical mixing bag technology.
"We are pleased with the continuation of the successful business relationship between Sartorius Stedim Biotech and LevTech through ATMI LifeSciences," said Reinhard Vogt, Executive Vice President and a Director of Sartorius Stedim Biotech. "As the leading company for disposable process solutions, we are happy to be able to offer as part of our product portfolio this unique mixing technology, which provides users with unparalleled advantages in process quality and operational efficiency."
"We're excited to continue the LevTech arrangement with Sartorius Stedim Biotech and to build momentum in this fast growing disposable mixing market segment," said Mario Philips, General Manager of ATMI LifeSciences. "This agreement is consistent with our focus on providing process efficiency solutions to our biopharma customers, through enabling proprietary technologies and long-term continuity of supply."
The agreement extends a May 2005 agreement between Sartorius Stedim and LevTech, a market-leading provider of disposable mixing technologies to the biopharmaceutical industry. That agreement made Sartorius Stedim the exclusive distributor of LevTech's disposable bag mixing system, which uses patented technology to levitate and drive a single-use impeller inside sterile disposable bags. The extension of the agreement also includes a 10-year supply guarantee that provides customers with a high assurance of supply when validating this technology into their processes.
LevTech was acquired by ATMI in January 2008 and integrated into ATMI's LifeSciences business, which is focused on single-use bioprocess containers and processes for the biopharmaceutical industry. Under the new agreement between LevTech, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of ATMI, and Sartorius Stedim, the LevTech disposable bag mixing system will be available through Sartorius Stedim as well as through ATMI LifeSciences, which offers its own bioprocess containers.
ATMI and LevTech are trademarks or registered trademarks of Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. in the United States, other countries or both. Sartorius Stedim is a trademark of Sartorius Stedim Biotech SA.
About ATMI, Inc. and ATMI LifeSciences
ATMI, Inc. provides innovative materials and high-purity materials handling and process optimization solutions designed to increase production yields, accelerate new product introductions, reduce capital expenditures, and mitigate risks for our global semiconductor, flat panel, and specialized process customers. ATMI LifeSciences is a leader in single-use mixing, storage, and bioreactor technology, fluoropolymer-based products, and custom engineered, flexible packaging solutions. Our fundamental knowledge of polymers, specially selected resins, as well as cleanroom manufacturing experience coalesce to insure optimum performance in critical disposable process operations. ATMI LifeSciences has manufacturing facilities in Hoegaarden, Belgium; Minnesota; and Kentucky, USA. For more information, please visit atmi.com and atmi-lifesciences.com.
About Sartorious Stedim Biotech S.A.
Sartorius Stedim Biotech is a leading provider of cutting-edge equipment and services for the development, quality assurance and production processes of the biopharmaceutical industry. Its integrated solutions covering fermentation, filtration, purification, fluid management and lab technologies are supporting the biopharmaceutical industry around the world to develop and produce drugs safely, timely and economically. For next generation processes, Sartorius Stedim Biotech focuses on single-use technologies and added-value services to meet the rapidly changing technology requirements of the industry it serves. Strongly rooted in the scientific community and closely allied with customers and technology partners, the company is dedicated to its philosophy of "Turning science into solutions."
Statements contained herein that relate to ATMI's future performance, including, without limitation, statements with respect to ATMI's anticipated results of operations or level of business for 2008 or any other future period, are forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on current expectations only and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including, but not limited to, changes in semiconductor industry growth (including, without limitation, wafer starts) or ATMI's markets; competition, problems, or delays developing and commercializing new products; problems or delays in integrating acquired operations and businesses; and other factors described in ATMI's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. ATMI undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.