Ecolab To Spend $260 Million Acquiring O.R. Solutions

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Ecolab Inc. said Friday it will spend $260 million to buy O.R. Solutions Inc., a privately held company that makes warming and cooling systems for surgical fluids.

The St. Paul, Minn., company said the deal should contribute to its 2011 earnings.

O.R. Solutions is based in Chantilly, Va. Its systems help warm fluids to prevent infections or cool them to maintain tissue health during cardiac procedures and transplants.

"The acquisition will strengthen our position in infection prevention, build on our surgical barrier platform, and expand our solutions for the operating room," Ecolab Chairman and CEO Douglas M. Baker Jr. said in a statement.

Ecolab provides cleaning, sanitizing, food safety and infection prevention products and services to foodservice, health care and hotel companies in more than 160 countries.

Ecolab shares fell 35 cents to $49.14 in morning trading.

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