OREANDA-NEWS. Fresenius Helios acquires the municipal hospital in Velbert located in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The hospital has 519 beds and, with approximately 1,000 employees, treats 45,000 patients each year, including 20,000 inpatients. Sales were approximately €67 million in 2014.

Fresenius Helios will fully own the hospital. Following the acquisition, it plans to invest in a new, state-of-the-art hospital building. The facility is an excellent fit with the company’s existing presence and activities in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The acquisition is subject to approval by the German antitrust authorities. The parties agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2016, and the hospital will already be accretive to Fresenius Group earnings starting this year.