Freudenberg (Weinheim / Germany; www.freudenberg.com) has signed a final agreement to buy the "Playtex" gloves business from US group Edgewell Personal Care (St. Louis, Missouri; www.edgewell.com). The acquisition is part of the German technology specialist’s strategy to expand its own household products operations. The transaction, whose terms were not made public, is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2017. This comes after Freudenberg’s acquisition in 2016 of laundry care products manufacturer Gimi (Monselice / Italy; www.gimi.eu), whose results were integrated into Freudenberg's Household Products business area.

Freudenberg says Playtex is the top US brand in household gloves, operating in the market for more than 65 years under the "Living" and "Handsaver" trademarks. In the US, Freudenberg is known for its floor care brand "O-Cedar". "Through this acquisition, we are continuing the growth strategy of Freudenberg Household Products in the US," said Tim Molek, Americas president of Freudenberg Household Products. Freudenberg sales in 2016 totalled EUR 7.9 bn, with the Household Products business generating EUR 859m.