Royal Philips Electronics has reached an agreement to acquire Brazilian-based Dixtal Biomédica e Tecnologia.
Dixtal is a leading Brazilian manufacturer of in-hospital patient monitoring, anesthesia, ventilation equipment, and ECG (electrocardiogram) as well as other sensors for vital sign measurements.
Dixtal will become part of the Patient Monitoring business within Philips’ healthcare sector, and Philips expects Dixtal’s financial results will be consolidated in this business as of the third quarter of 2008. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The announcement marks another step Philips is taking to expand its presence in high-growth healthcare markets in emerging economies, following the company’s earlier acquisitions of healthcare companies Shenzhen Goldway Industrial in China and VMI Sistemas Medicos in Brazil.
“Emerging markets represent a real opportunity for us to keep growing our healthcare business at Philips. If you just take Latin America, our addressable healthcare market in 2007 was estimated to be valued at approximately euros 1.2 billion ($1.8 billion), and growing at twice the rate of developed markets. Acquiring Dixtal will help us further tap into that growth,” said senior vice-president of Philips Healthcare Latin America Daurio Speranzini Júnior.
The agreement with Dixtal will also bolster Philips’ presence in the global medical equipment market for ‘critical care’ – that is, the medical equipment used to care for patients experiencing acute and critical illness or injury.
Founded in 1978, Dixtal is a privately-held healthcare company headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil. Dixtal employs approximately 300 people, mainly in Brazil, of which 60 work in research and development.
“At Dixtal, we’re committed to innovation, aesthetics, and product evolution, and our passion to serve people has helped us become a leading medical equipment company in Brazil. Since being founded 30 years ago, we’ve focused on helping hospitals provide the optimum in critical care,” said president of Dixtal Albert Holzhacker.
Over the last four years, Dixtal has tripled its revenues. Following completion of the acquisition, growth is expected to accelerate further as Philips leverages Dixtal’s strong contacts to local hospitals and distributors, while Dixtal capitalises on Philips’ global presence for its products.
Philips has an extensive presence in critical care through its leading position in the global patient monitoring market, which in 2007 was estimated to be approximately $3. – TradeArabia News Service