Henry Schein Buys U.K. Distributor

Dental and medical products supplier Henry Schein announced Monday that it has acquired U.K. distributor Minerva Dental Ltd.

Melville, NY-based Henry Schein did not disclose terms of the deal, which is expected to close later this year. The $5.9 billion company says it expects the transaction will not affect earnings this year, but will add slightly to earnings in 2009.

Based in Cardiff, Wales, the 81-year-old Minerva Dental had sales of about $40 million last year. The company has operations in five locations in the U.K. and sells more than 25,000 products as well as providing design services, equipment servicing and handpiece repairs.