Australian (ASX) Stock Market Forum

Reply to thread

Re: EMS - Eastland Medical Systems great artical


International Medical Devices is taking a short cut to profitability in acquiring Response Medical Equipment for £6.3 million.


Chaired by Australian entrepreneur and major shareholder Lindsay Sandford and run by chief executive Chris Thomas, AIM-quoted International Medical holds the rights to specialist 'safe' hospital needles made by Sandford-linked West Australian concern Eastland Medical. IMD, which lost £316,000 in the year to August, boasts a range of 'safe' needles, led by its 'Clip On' model, which is swiftly retractable and replaceable and thus more likely to avoid needlestick injuries occurring especially when patients twitch on being injected.


Other IMD products include 'Safeline' needles for drips and 'Auto-Injector', which enables people far away from hospitals or doctors to inject themselves with easy-to-use, safely-retractable needles. 'Auto-Injector' was developed with the Australian military and the Pentagon to enable battlefield troops to inject themselves with morphine or adrenaline, as required, as quickly and safely as possible.


IMD, whose products are seen by fans as also having potential among HIV sufferers and others, has launched marketing trials for 'Clip On' in five hospitals. If these go well, the National Health Service Central Purchasing Agency will accelerate matters by issuing a 'special tender', with IMD as the sole bidder.


The NHS buys 136 million needles a year and IMD says it is targeting an initial 25 per cent of that with needles at 16p, 6p more than standard NHS ones but safer and less likely to incur hefty insurance premiums and legal claims. That would yield a 10p margin per needle and the company also aims to attack the 'less price sensitive' markets of Germany and other European states, as well as the USA.


Buying Response brings IMD into profits of £800,000 a year and £8.5 million turnover. Funding it has involved a £2.8 million share issue at 7p, as well as loan stock and future performance-related payments.


At 7.13p, the shares could pay a punt.


Top