Unilever Czech Republic and the Bochemie company announced today that they have signed an agreement under which Unilever will acquire the SAVO and other consumer brands from Bochemie.

The transaction includes transfer of the related trademarks, other intellectual property and a small number of employees. The acquired brands will continue to be manufactured under contact by Bochemie at their Bohumín facility. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval by the relevant competition authorities.

As Unilever aims to double its business whilst reducing environmental impact, it is continuously looking for growth opportunities and to further build its portfolio. Currently the SAVO brand includes a whole range of household cleaning products and disinfectants, so this acquisition will widen Unilever’s product portfolio in order to serve all consumers with their specific needs.

Unilever will buy SAVO, Biolit, Diffusil and other brands by acquisition of 100% of shares of Bochemie’s subsidiary HomeBrands, a.s. The transaction does not concern Bochemies activities relating to specialty chemicals, which will continue without changes. Bochemie will also continue manufacturing SAVO products in its Bohumín facility based on a contract manufacturing agreement.

„Unilever is constantly investing in building its brands and looking for new market opportunities. This is a valuable acquisition for us, having well known brands and a well-established position in the market. These brands will benefit from Unilever’s marketing strengths and resources,” said Florin Trandafirescu, General Manager Unilever Czech and Slovak Republic.

„We view the transaction as recognition of the long term successful work of Bochemie employees in building strong local brands. We are convinced that Unilever will build on those efforts and further expand the brands it is buying from us both locally and internationally,” commented Bochemie CEO Miloslav Vodička. „Bochemie will now focus on further development of its specialty chemical business,” he added.

All acquired brands will continue to be available on the Czech and Slovak market as well as in Hungary, Romania, and other Central and Eastern European markets.

About SAVO brand

SAVO brand was introduced to the market of former Czechoslovakia as early as in 1973. Currently the brand includes a whole range of household cleaning products and disinfectants. It consists of branded products both on the hypochlorite basis being used by households for general disinfection purposes and mildew removal, as well as hypochlorite free specialised cleaning products for kitchen, bathroom and other specific needs.

About Bochemie Group

Bochemie Group is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of branded household care products in Central Europe. Its key brands include SAVO, Biolit and Diffusil, which all enjoys a strong market position particularly in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The Group is also a global supplier of high value added specialty chemicals, including disinfectants, wood protection fungicides, metal surface treatment chemicals and accumulator masses.

The Group and its parent company Bochemie, a.s. have been headquartered in Bohumín, Czech Republic, where it employs over 450 people. The Group further includes EVM, the Hungarian manufacturer of branded household care products and subsidiaries in Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Russia. The Group’s total number of employees is almost 600.

The Group is owned by the private equity firms Benson Oak Capital and Arx Equity Partners.