Reckitt Benckiser buys Durex maker SSL

Reckitt Benckiser, the household products and drugs group, on Wednesday posted a slight rise in quarterly profits as it looks ahead to a new era after last week's shock resignation of its chief executive.The Anglo-Dutch maker of household cleaner Cillit Bang, Durex condoms and Nurofen pain relief pills, said net profit rose two percent to £355 million (400 million euros, $581 million) in the first quarter compared with early 2010.

By 2010-07-21T09:54:36Z LONDON (AP) -- SSL International PLC, maker of Durex condoms and Scholl foot care products, said Wednesday that its board is recommending a 2.54 billion pounds ($3.9 billion) takeover offer from Reckitt Benckiser PLC, the producer of Vanish, Lysol and Clearasil....

Reckitt Benckiser makes a $3.9 billion proposal to Durex condom maker SSL, where management is tempted.

Reckitt Benckiser, the household products and drugs group, has chosen Indian-born Rakesh Kapoor to replace chief executive Bart Becht, whose sudden retirement on Thursday shocked markets.Reckitt's share price slumped around 7.0 percent in London on the unexpected announcements by the company whose major brands include household cleaner Cillit Bang, Durex condoms and Nureflex/Nurofen pain relief tablets.

In 1999 Reckitt amp; Coleman merged with Benckiser to form Reckitt Benckiser (LON:RB.).  At the time Reckitt amp; Coleman were a leading global household products company with most of their turnover generated by brands with number one or two market positions.  Benckiser was in a similar position with household cleaning products, especially their dishwasher brands including Finish, and the water softener Calgon. At the time the CEO to be, Bart Becht said quot;Reckitt Benckiser will be the world number one household cleaning company and has the potential to create significant value for sharehold

Consumer-products giant Reckitt Benckiser posted a 23% rise in second-quarter net profit and confirmed its full-year outlook, a week after it agreed to acquire Durex condom maker SSL.

Household goods firm Reckitt Benckiser on Monday announced an agreement to buy Indian company Paras Pharmaceuticals for about 460 million pounds (549 million euros, 726 million dollars).Reckitt Benckiser (RB) said it had agreed to buy Paras Pharmaceuticals Limited for 32.6 billion Indian Rupees from the current shareholders, including the Patel family and Actis, the emerging markets private equity investor."The acquisition of Paras is another step forward in RB's growth strategy in consumer health care," Reckitt Benckiser chief executive Bart Becht said in a statement.