Asahi Glass to buy Danish biologics maker

Asahi Glass is purchasing Denmark's CMC Biologics for an estimated 70 billion - 80 billion yen ($598 million to $684 million).

Asahi is a major global supplier of automotive glass which is facing growing competition from such emerging economies as China. Glass production techniques are already well-established, making significant growth in the business unlikely. Asahi Glass is instead bolstering operations in the more promising field of life science, hoping to tap into pharmaceutical-sector growth fuelled by the rising middle classes in emerging markets.

CMC Biologics is a biopharmaceutical contract manufacturer whose operations include making biologics and protein-based components used in drugs. It has substantial output capacity, with Danish and American plants, and employs roughly 500.

Asahi Glass is one of Japan's leading contract manufacturers of biologics. It once had only domestic facilities but has now begun expanding abroad with a German acquisition. Asahi Glass will be making further inroads into the European market, the largest for biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing,as it eyes an entry into the U.S. as well.

Asahi Glass plans 300 billion yen in strategic investments, such as mergers and acquisitions, over the five years through 2020. It announced recently an agreement to buy a Thai plastic maker owned by European chemical producer Solvay for 33.5 billion yen.