Gerresheimer sells two packaging units to Apax Partners for €1.5 bn

German pharmaceutical packaging group Gerresheimer AG has signed definitive agreements to sell its US-based subsidiary Centor and its global Primary Packaging Plastics (PPP) business to funds advised by Apax Partners. The combined enterprise value of the transactions is estimated at around €1.5 billion, including debt. The deal covers 16 production sites across nine countries, employing about 2,400 people and generating roughly €570 million in revenue last year.

Gerresheimer will use the cash proceeds to significantly lower its leverage and strengthen its capital structure, allowing the company to focus on high‑value drug‑delivery devices, medical devices and primary injectable‑drug packaging. CEO Uwe Röhrhoff said the sale restores strategic flexibility. The Centor transaction is expected to close by the end of the 2026 financial year, while the PPP business is slated for completion in the first half of the 2027 fiscal year. The disposal follows a broader strategic review after recent accounting investigations and the company's removal from the SDAX index.