Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, this week announced a definitive agreement to sell its Specialty Chemicals business to an affiliate of New Mountain Capital, L.L.C. for a cash purchase price of $280 million.

Covidien's Specialty Chemicals business, headquartered in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, manufactures and markets high-purity chemicals and related products and services under two well-known and respected brand names, J.T.Baker® and Mallinckrodt® Laboratory Chemicals. These products are widely used in research and quality control laboratories, microelectronics, environmental testing laboratories and universities, and for manufacturing in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other industrial markets.

About Covidien: Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in three segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies. With 2009 revenue of $10.7 billion, Covidien has 42,000 employees worldwide in more than 60 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. Please visit www.covidien.com to learn more about the business.

About New Mountain Capital: New Mountain Capital is a New York-based private equity firm investing for long-term capital appreciation through direct investment in growth equity transactions, leveraged acquisitions, and management buyouts. The Firm currently manages private and public equity funds with approximately $8.5 billion in aggregate capital commitments. New Mountain seeks out the highest-quality growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors and then works intensively with management to build the value of these companies. For more information on New Mountain Capital, please visit www.newmountaincapital.com.

Source: Mallinckrodt Baker