EVENFLO ACQUIRES LEADING BREASTFEEDING PRODUCT LINE AMEDA
Combined Company Resources and Commitment to Breastfeeding
Creates `Best-in-Class' Business
VANDALIA, Ohio – October 18, 2007 – Evenflo Company, Inc. has
entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire Ameda
Breastfeeding Products from Hollister Incorporated of Libertyville,
IL. It is expected that the deal will close in January, 2008 pending
completion of contractual requirements.
The acquisition of Ameda represents a defining moment in Evenflo's
ongoing strategy to deliver products and services that are "Best for
Baby" and moms. Extensive scientific research worldwide shows that
breastfeeding is the preferred feeding method for newborns and
infants. With the addition of Ameda, a leading maker of hospital
grade breast pumps and accessories, Evenflo is elevating its
commitment to breastfeeding.
"Evenflo is dedicated to developing and marketing products that
are `Best for Baby' and, by extension, best for mothers too," said
Rob Matteucci, CEO of Evenflo. "We want to support moms with the
highest-quality breast pumps and accessories to make it as easy as
possible for moms who want to breastfeed to do so. The addition of
Ameda to our family of products further expands our ability to
provide moms the widest range of options to enhance their
breastfeeding experience."
Evenflo will retain the Ameda brand name, which is widely respected
within the professional breastfeeding community and among lactation
experts. Under the Evenflo umbrella, Ameda will continue to serve
its core institutional market, while expanding its reach into the
premium consumer retail market. The combined resources of the two
companies create a "best-in-class" breastfeeding business,
integrating Ameda's product development expertise and strong
reputation in the professional medical sector with Evenflo's strong
retail and consumer marketing experience, leading to significant
synergies.
Evenflo plans to retain the Ameda employees to maintain industry
knowledge, and to open a dedicated Ameda office in the Chicago area
to enable continuity and minimal disruption to the business.
To further underscore its commitment to breastfeeding, Evenflo has
also pledged to become the first baby bottle manufacturer in the
U.S. to achieve compliance with the World Health Organization (WHO)
International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. The WHO
Code was created in 1981 as a guide for marketing practices of
infant formula, bottle and nipple manufacturers to ensure that
breast milk substitutes, feeding bottles and nipples are not
marketed inappropriately.
As part of its pledge, Evenflo will immediately take the following
three steps: 1) discontinue all bottle/nipple advertising directed
to consumers; 2) change our feeding packaging to align with WHO Code
guidelines; and 3) remove bottle/nipple images from our Web site. At
the same time, Evenflo will continue to innovate in its core bottle
and nipple products, and work closely with retail partners to ensure
broad-scale availability for moms who do not breastfeed or do not
breastfeed exclusively. Ameda already meets all the requirements of
the WHO Code.
"The WHO code is designed to promote and protect breastfeeding
around the world, and Evenflo's decision to help support this
important objective by becoming Code compliant is to be
congratulated,congratulated,<WBR>" said Marsha Walker, Executi
National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy. "I believe Evenflo's
actions will help encourage moms and remove barriers to
breastfeeding in the U.S. I'm gratified to see Evenflo and Ameda
delivering on their promise to develop and market products in a
manner that will not interfere with or impede breastfeeding,manner
said.
"This is an exciting time for Evenflo and Ameda," Matteucci
said. "After months of intense studying and planning, Evenflo's
management team and our board of directors, as well as Ameda's
management, are convinced that this acquisition represents a value-
added combination which will grow Evenflo's and Ameda's business and
enable us to become leaders in the fast-growing breastfeeding
category."
About Evenflo
Headquartered in Vandalia, Ohio, Evenflo Company, Inc. is a
privately held leading manufacturer and marketer of infant and
juvenile products. Evenflo was founded in 1920 and is a top supplier
of infant and juvenile products to key retailers such as Toys "R"
Us, Babies "R" Us, Wal-Mart, Target, and K-Mart. The company's
product offering spans a broad range of essential infant and
juvenile product categories, including car seats, strollers,
portable play yards, feeding supplies, carriers, stationary activity
centers, and safety gates. Evenflo's premier brand name has 97
percent awareness with new mothers, and the company enjoys #1 or #2
market share positions in 10 important product categories. For more
information on Evenflo, visit www.evenflo.info
About Ameda
Ameda has been the first name in breast pumps for over 60 years.
First developed by Swedish inventor and civil engineer Einar Egnell
to mimic a baby's natural nursing rhythm and intensity, Ameda used
this innovative technology to create a breast pump that was simple,
comfortable, and efficient. Today, Ameda breast pumps continue to
utilize Einar Egnell's breakthrough technology—along with advanced
features that today's mothers expect. Ameda is currently part of
Hollister Incorporated, an independently-Hollister Incorporated, an i
develops, manufactures and markets healthcare products, servicing
over 90 countries. For further information on Ameda, visit
www.ameda.com.
In a message dated 10/18/2007 11:00:44 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:30:41 -0400
From: Heather LaRosa <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: News From NABA
This is fantastic news! Is there a news release that I can post on my oth=
er=20
lactivism boards?
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