CareFusion Acquires U.K. Medical, Expands Presence in Europe

CareFusion forges ahead with its fifth acquisition, buying U.K. Medical Ltd., a distributor of medical products to the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom. Some of the San Diego, Calif-based company’s most recent acquisitions include PHACTS LLC, a Seattle, Wash.-based hospital services company, and Germany-based Rowa, which provides medical storage and retrieval services for hospitals.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition of U.K. Medical is part of CareFusion’s growth strategy of establishing infrastructure and a local presence in key markets—the company has recently been active in the Middle East, notably opening an office in Dubai in January of this year. CareFusion already had a working relationship with U.K. Medical—the company is the sole U.K distributor of CareFusion’s interventional technologies portfolio, including soft-tissue and bone marrow biopsy needles, the AVAmax advanced vertebral augmentation system and the PleurX peritoneal catheter drainage system.

“The acquisition further strengthens CareFusion’s presence in the United Kingdom, where we have built leadership positions in infusion therapy and infection prevention,” said Gordon LaFortune, executive vice president of international commercial operations for CareFusion. “We believe this acquisition will help us expand our long-standing partnership with U.K. Medical and better leverage the company’s clinical expertise to continue to grow our procedural solutions business in the United Kingdom and beyond.”

U.K. Medical focuses on distribution of clinically differentiated interventional and implantable single-use medical products for biopsy, cardiac, drainage, obstetrics and gynaecology, non-vascular stenting, surgery and vertebroplasty primarily for the NHS.

“We look forward to continuing our track record of growth and innovation with CareFusion,” said Jim Mackenzie, chairman of U.K. Medical. The company has contributed to 50 percent of CareFusion’s interventional technologies portfolio in the United Kingdom.

Based in Sheffield, United Kingdom, U.K. Medical distributes products for approximately ten other suppliers in addition to CareFusion.