Honeywell Acquires POMS Corp., MES Software Provider
POMS strengthens Honeywell's existing offerings to and consumer packaged goods industries. The two companies' combined product line represents a one-stop software shop for product development, process and environmental control, production management, and business optimization. With an approach Honeywell calls "unified manufacturing," pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods companies will enjoy benefits of a single source for process and production software, extensive industry expertise, and global presence/support.
With the POMS acquisition Honeywell builds on its strategy to address the entire product life cycle in pharmaceuticals and packaged goods, from product development through manufacturing and packaging operations. The "single-source" approach is essential, according to Honeywell, to successfully managing. This single-source solution is essential, according to Honeywell, to managing supply chains while providing manufacturers with agility and flexibility in product development and manufacturing operations. Integration of the POMS products into the full Honeywell product suit is facilitated through advanced use of Microsoft-compliant technologies by both companies.
"POMS enhances our capabilities at the MES level," said Russel McMeekin, vice president of Honeywell Hi-Spec Solutions. "POMS will complement and broaden Honeywell's existing suite of Unified Manufacturing Solutions for industries subject to compliance regulation by agencies such as the FDA. We chose POMS because they lead MES suppliers in business vision, product innovation, momentum, and ability to execute."
POMS' MES software supports master batch/device record-keeping, materials management, weigh/dispense operations, manufacturing/packaging operations, and measurements of compliance and performance.
Honeywell expects the market for MES applications in pharm/packaged goods markets grow approximately 30% through 2005 to more than $1.3 billion. In serving those industries, POMS has experienced year-over-year revenue growth in excess of 50% for each of the last three years. "We believe that the POMS business will continue to grow more rapidly than the market," McKeekin added.
The acquisition is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close by the end of 1999. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
About the Companies
POMS Corp. is a global leader in software for product development and manufacturing operations in the healthcare and consumer packaged goods industries. According to POMS, its products can be implemented in a third of the time of traditional MES applications, ensuring fast time to benefit.
POMS products are used by more than 15,000 users across 15 countries in industries including commercial and clinical pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, primary pharmaceutical chemicals, medical device, food, beverage, and personal care products. POMS customers include Baxter Healthcare, Boehringer Ingelheim, Hoechst Marion Roussel, Schering-Plough Research Institute, Johnson & Johnson, TNUVA Dairies, The J.M. Smucker Co., and R.P. Scherer.
Honeywell Hi-Spec Solutions is the leading supplier to process industries of "Unified Manufacturing Solutions for Business Optimization." Honeywell's products help companies maximize their profitability through a balanced approach to improving manufacturing performance, expanding asset capability, and enabling improved decision making. Hi-Spec Solutions is the advanced applications business unit of Honeywell Industrial Control, a leading supplier of industrial automation software.
Parent company Honeywell is a $24-billion diversified technology and manufacturing company delivering products for aerospace, control products technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; power generation systems; specialty chemicals; fibers; plastics; and electronic and advanced materials. The company employs approximately 120,000 people in 95 countries.
For more information: Russel McMeekin, Honeywell HiSpec Solutions, 6404 N. Black Canyon Hwy., Phoenix, AZ 85053. Tel: 602-313-4995. Fax: 602-313-5530.
Edited by Angelo DePalma, Managing Editor of Pharmaceutical Online