Category — Editorial

Press release:

Handicare acquires Ligtvoet Products

Helmond - 30 June 2009 - Handicare acquires manufacturing company Ligtvoet Products, part of the Harting-Bank Group. Ligtvoet Products, also known as Lipro, develops and manufactures care and rehab mobility products for disabled people. The dealer organisation Ligtvoet will continue to be part of the Harting-Bank Group.

Ligtvoet Products, based in Helmond, the Netherlands, is a former family business which started as a bicycle manufacturer. Since 1965 Ligtvoet Products has specialized in developing and manufacturing high-quality comfort and rehab mobility products. Ligtvoet Products has a strong position in the Dutch market and export sales to Belgium and Switzerland. For now, Ligtvoet Products will continue to operate independently under the name Lipro. Handicare aims to integrate the company’s activities into the Handicare organisation by the end of the year. Handicare will take over all Ligtvoet Products’ staff.

Handicare is one of the fastest growing healthcare companies in Europe. The company offers solutions and support to increase the independence of disabled or elderly people as well as to improve the convenience of those who are caring for them.

The acquisition of Ligtvoet Products is part of Handicare’s growth ambitions. ”We will grow both organically and through acquisitions and we have a strong development internationally”, says Rens Schoenmakers, Senior Vice President Mobility of Handicare. ”With the expertise and products of Ligtvoet Products we are now able to offer a wider range of manual and power wheelchairs, and scooters. This will strengthen our position in the Netherlands as well as in other geographical markets,” says Schoenmakers.

”We are very positive about Ligtvoet Products becoming part of Handicare,” says Marco Jungschlager, CEO of Harting-Bank Group. ”The activities of Ligtvoet Products have a very good fit with Handicare. The organisation, expertise and extensive dealer network of Handicare can contribute to further development of the Lipro products. Additionally, we are very happy for our staff. Their jobs remain in the Netherlands, close to our operation in Helmond. Our Group will be able to fully focus on service and supplying solutions to the end users,” says Jungschlager.

About Handicare
The healthcare company Handicare AS, owned by Herkules Private Equity Fund, was founded in 1986 and offers solutions and support to increase the independence of disabled or elderly people as well as to improve the convenience of those who are caring for them. Handicare’s extensive range of products is designed to satisfy specific local market needs and includes high-quality mobility products, patient handling and bathroom safety products, stair lifts and car adaptations. Through its subsidiary Puls, the Handicare Group also has a leading position in Norway in the sales of capital goods and consumables to hospitals and institutions. Handicare, headquartered in Moss, Norway, has long-established operations in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium, Poland, USA and Canada, and distributes its own products to an additional 30 markets. The Handicare Group reached a sales revenue of 225 million Euros in 2008.

About Harting-Bank Group
Harting-Bank B.V., owned by NPM-Capital since 2006, was founded in 1836 and is a service-provider and supplier of care and rehab products for disabled people. The company focuses on the Dutch market, where it offers services on behalf of various customers to their clients. Customers include local authorities and health insurers. The Harting-Bank Group operates under various labels, including Harting-Bank and Ligtvoet. The Group has country-wide coverage with over 25 independent operations. Harting-Bank has chosen to focus on service and supplying solutions to end users and on qualitative and controlled growth. The Group reached a sales revenue of 100 million Euro in 2008.

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For more information, please contact:
Juliet de Kleijn
Communication Specialist
Handicare
T: +31 (0)492 593893
M: +31 (0)6 46308415
E: juliet.dekleijn@handicare.com

Source: Medcity interview by Mary Vanac

She asked Mixon:

Q. What do you think about the proposal for a government-backed health insurance plan?
A. I believe in the free market. But I think there are people who … aren’t faring well under capitalism. I think Americans feel that no one should be left out.

Q. How might a government health-care plan affect Invacare?
A. Invacare does business in 80 countries. Canada and England are government-run health care systems. We do very, very well well in those countries. And the home-care reimbursement [there] in many cases is better than they have in America.

So do other homecare companies - it’s hard to argue with the above, except to add that most European countries actively support their citizens and their health, be it at home or otherwise. They also have competitive bidding programs similar to the US proposal (for example Germany) but the governments ensure a basic fundamental right to healthcare for all their citizens - no matter what - it’s the law.

Kinda neat?

the ibot wheelchair

Independence Technology - a Johnson and Johnson company, has announced that it will be withdrawing it’s revolutionary powered mobility device from the market with immediate effect. They will however be honoring service agreements until 2013.

The chair while revolutionary in advancing a customers mobility came with a high price tag at about 22,000 US Dollars with the reimbursement agencies valuing the product at about 6,000 US Dollars - thus putting it out of reach of most people.

We had our doubts way back in 2006 - Johnson and Johnson IBOT Medicare And The Power Mobility Industry.

On an allied subject - two years ago we wrote about the Topchair which is a similar concept providing enhanced mobility for climbing stairs - this one made in France.

Consumers have a much better chance of acquiring products like these in some European countries where reimbursement rules are much more favorable as to the right to quality of mobility.

We have even noticed companies in China starting to advertise - “stair climbing wheelchairs” - but until somebody gets the functionality / cost ratio correct these products are going to go the way of the Concorde - unfortunately.

Thomas Rossnagel - former head of Sunrise’s Europe business and operations has been promoted to President and CEO of Sunrise Medical. Michael N. Cannizzaro - former CEO will continue as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Rossnagel who worked out of the companies German operations is recognised in Europe for his leadership - and his most notable performance in driving efficient and effective operations for Sunrise Europe over the past several years.

With this latest move Sunrise continues to demonstrate it’s ability to take a global management perspective to it’s business.

The full press release is here.

May

The healthcare system in France is the envy of most developed countries of the world. France is also the worlds 5th largest country in terms of GDP.

This makes the above event one of the world’s top events from a business potential for those that have an interest in the rapidly expanding healthcare sectors concerning geriatrics, disability, homecare and institutional care - as the ageing population moves from acute to chronic care.

GerontExpo-handicap provides a venue for updating on the latest technologies, products, policies and trends as well as providing significant business opportunities for either manufacturers, distributors or service providers to significantly enhance their business by finding the right business partners in France and internationally.

As a plus HIT 2009 (Health Information Technologies) - will take place in the same venue and will be linked to GerontExpo-Handicap. HIT represents the rapidly growing French Healthcare IT industry and is expected to have over 100 participating companies - large and small.

Frank Barlin - Sibaya LifeScience! Managing Partner will be attending and can be contacted here.

We strongly support diabetes research on this site so wanted to share this: (BBC)

Tighter control of blood sugar levels in people with diabetes may cut their risk of heart problems, a study says.

From the Cambridge Study (30000 patients) just published in the British Lancet the following is observed:

Lead researcher Dr Kausik Ray said: “Previous studies have been inconclusive, leaving diabetics and their doctors unsure as to whether maintaining lower blood sugar levels actually benefited the patients.

“Although additional research needs to be conducted, our findings provide insight into the importance of improving glucose levels. However, this has to be done through lifestyle changes as well as medication.”

Results were fewer heart attacks and 15% less cardi-vascular desease.

ICH Q10: final guidance for implementing an effective quality management system for the pharmaceutical industry.

The FDA has just issued its final guidance on ICH Q10.

This internationally harmonized guidance is intended to assist all pharmaceutical manufacturers by describing a model for an effective quality management system called pharmaceutical quality system. Based on International Organization for Standardization (ISO) quality concepts, it includes applicable good manufacturing practice (GMP) regulations, and complements ICH “Q8 Pharmaceutical Development” and ICH “Q9 Quality Risk Management.”

Interestingly, this model can be implemented throughout the different stages of a product lifecycle and strengthen the link between pharmaceutical development, manufacturing and commercial activities.

It reinforces the need for Leadership which is essential to establish and maintain a company-wide commitment to quality and for the performance of the pharmaceutical quality system to achieve product realization, to establish and maintain a state of control and to facilitate continual improvement.

FDA also insists that companies use knowledge and quality risk management and apply this guidance to their outsourced activities and the purchase of raw materials while conducting assessments of suppliers and service providers before entering into an agreement.