I.C.I. Tasman, Wellcome merge in animal health

Press, 9 March 1984, Page 20

I.C.I. Tasman, Wellcome merge in animal health

1.C.1. New Zealand, Ltd, and Wellcome New Zealand, Ltd, have reached agreement in principle to merge their animal health interests to form a new company, and hope the new company will be operational by August. The move follows agreement between Wellcome and 1.C.1. in the United Kingdom to merge the ani--mal health activities of each company worldwide. The agreement involves the formation of three interlinked but operationally independent companies in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. The formation of the New Zealand company will be subject to the approval of: the Overseas Investment commission and the Examiner of Commercial Practices.

1.C.1. New Zealand’s animal health business operates as part of the 1.C.1. Tasman Group with its headquarters at Upper Hutt The Cooper Animal Health Division of Wellcome New Zealand has its headquarters at Otahuhu.

The agricultural chemical business of 1.C.1. Tasman and the pharmaceuticals business of not be included in the'Tnerger. Until the necessary Gov-

ernment approvals have been received and a date set for the establishment of the new company both Wellcome and 1.C.1. in New Zealand will maintain the position of their current independent animal health operations. Wellcome New Zealand’s animal health remedies are sold under the Cooper brand' name, Wellcome having acquired the long-established Cooper company in the 19505.

Products include Warbex

(the cattle pour-on for lice control), Ralgro (the cattle growth promotant), Systamex and Panacur for sheep and cattle internal fiarasite control, Decacide the pour-on for sheep lice control), Leptavoid for the control of leptospirosis in dairy cattle, Campylovexin for the control of abortion in sheep, and Multilamb the sheep fecundity injection.

1.C.1. Tasman, created in 1976 by the merger of Tasman Vaccine Laboratory

with 1.C.1. New Zealand agricultural division, is New Zealand’s largest agricultural chemical and animal health enterprise and is a major producer of sheep and cattle vaccines.

Animal health products are sold predominantly in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. Two of its best known products are Nilvax, a combined vaccine and drench, and a nine strain vaccine for footrot, Footvax.