CWS International GmbH, the German-based services group has acquired Galway-based Specialised Sterile Environments Ltd. (SSE ), an Irish company specialised in cleanroom cleaning, decontamination and hygiene services to the Irish Pharma and Medtech industry.
This further expands CWS’s international portfolio in cleaning and decontamination services in the highly specialised cleanroom segment and contributes to the company’s sustainable growth strategy. SSE Cleaning has been sold by its former owner and founder Mary Connell. The deal was closed on August 31 2021 for an undisclosed sum.
“CWS Cleanrooms is part of the €1.3 billion CWS Group and is Europe’s foremost providers of complete cleanroom solutions. With the acquisition of Specialised Sterile Environments Ltd., we are expanding our offering in Ireland.
“We are able to offer cleanroom cleaning to our Irish customers and become a more integrated service provider for Cleanroom operations”, Markus Schad, Regional Managing Director Cleanrooms and Healthcare at CWS, said regarding the deal. “We will continue to work with the existing SSE Cleaning management and look forward to a successful integration. We warmly welcome our new colleagues to the CWS family,” he added.
“Through its dedication to service and its extensive experience in working with Ireland’s Life Sciences sector, SSE Cleaning has successfully grown its business in Galway, Dublin, Athlone and Limerick in recent years”, says Mary Connell, CEO of Specialised Sterile Environments Ltd. “We are excited that with the support of CWS group, we have the opportunity to continue our company’s growth and continue to focus on the specialist cleanroom cleaning sector.”
“CWS Cleanrooms is expanding sustainably in Europe. We plan on growing by organic growth as well as our M&A initiatives. Our network of technical experts and dedicated employees is still increasing. We strive for the highest service level in a highly regulated business area”, says Markus Schad.
Clement Higgins, Managing Director at CWS Ireland, said CWS provides a range of cleanroom, workwear rental and hygiene services to almost 5,000 customers throughout Ireland.
With sales revenues of €31m and 370 employees in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway, they plan to double their cleanroom business in Ireland over the next five years to keep pace with the growth of Ireland’s Biopharma and Medtech sectors.
“The acquisition of SSE Cleaning is an important step in expanding our Cleanroom services portfolio to achieve our goal of becoming a full-service provider for cleanrooms and controlled manufacturing environments,” he said.
The acquisition of SSE Cleaning to expand CWS’s Clearooms business in Ireland follows the prior acquisitions of WERO, a Dutch specialist forcleaning cleanrooms, and profi-con, a German cleanroom cleaning company with presence and online training expertise.
Specialised Sterile Environments is an established cleanroom cleaning and decontamination business, providing cleanroom cleaning, decontamination and hygiene services to the Irish Pharma and Medical Device industry. The company was established in 2003 by Mary Connell and currently employs a staff of 350 trained to work in regulated cleanroom environments. SSE Cleaning currently provides cleanroom cleaning services to 70 customer sites in Galway, Dublin, Athlone and Limerick. All employees will be retained as part of the deal. In the long term, the company will be integrated into the CWS Cleanrooms Business both locally and internationally.
CWS is a brand of CWS International GmbH headquartered near Dusseldorf, Germany. The group currently employs 11,000 people in 15 countries. In 2020, the company generated a turnover of 1.242 billion euros. CWS International GmbH and its subsidiaries are owned by Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH, a family based private equity group.
Using its innovative, sustainable and digital rental solutions, CWS is committed to providing cleanroom and hygiene solutions that contribute to a healthier and safer tomorrow. The CWS range is divided into products and services in the areas of Cleanrooms, Workwear, Hygiene, Floor Care, Workwear, Fire Safety, and Healthcare. With its rental service model, the company is an excellent example of circular economy at work. Materials are reduced, reused and recycled in a resource-saving manner. CWS practices sustainability in all aspects of its business activities under one central guiding principle - Think Circular!
