Press Release

One of the UK’s leading healthcare and sports suppliers, Mobilis Healthcare Group of Oldham, has announced the acquisition of electrotherapy and physiotherapy equipment service and repair company, SKF Services. The Billingshurst, West Sussex, business was formed more than twenty years ago by Simon Francis to service the physiotherapy market and has since also moved into the sports injuries, osteopathy, chiropractic and animal therapy sectors, supplying the NHS, major private hospital groups, private practitioners, veterinarians, football and rugby clubs, typically on a daily basis.

Under the deal, Simon Francis becomes a Director, operating within the company’s Medical business, and assuming responsibility for physiotherapy and electrotherapy products and the development of new business in those markets. He will be based part of the week at Mobilis Healthcare’s Shaw Road headquarters and the remainder of the time in West Sussex, where he lives with his wife Esther in Horsham.

“This acquisition can only enhance our technical service and repair provision and customer-oriented approach,” says Colin Webb, CEO of Mobilis Healthcare, which last year won the British Healthcare Trades Association’s highly respected customer services award. “Simon focused on service as a key business differentiator and built product sales and maintenance revenue on the back of that. He has great personal drive and energy, which will be considerable assets to the combined business, and he is highly motivated to drive Mobilis Healthcare forward.”

From his perspective, Simon sees strong commercial synergy in the alliance: “Mobilis has genuine expertise in physiotherapy, podiatry and sports consumables, with major brands like Vulkan and Sorbothane, while SFK brings special skills on the equipment services and repair side, a major presence in the physiotherapy market and particular expertise in electrotheraphy,” he says. “For existing SKF customers, the acquisition brings access to a still larger range of products and services, backed by the ability to maintain competitive pricing through the massive purchasing power of the combined business.”

A qualified avionics engineer, Simon started his service and repair business within the physiotherapy sector, in 1988, later forming a limited company in ’96 and diversifying into the design and manufacture of electrotherapy products, with Simon himself developing a specialism in laser therapy. The proper preventative maintenance of medical equipment is critical, given the need to ensure the safety of patients, meet manufacturers’ servicing requirements, counter insurance liabilities, and make certain that equipment is always working efficiently. So SKF provides hospitals, clinics and sports clubs with routine maintenance contracts, employing a nationwide team of mobile service engineers, and additionally offers emergency breakdown cover.

Its success as a modern service-driven business, encouraged Simon to expand SKF Services into the supply of physio couches and exercise equipment, as well as such lower cost medical supplies as anatomical models and charts, supports and braces, orthotics and acupuncture devices. This year it published its eighth catalogue and customers included Chelsea FC, Irish RFU club Munster, gold medallist Sally Gunnell and Olympic equestrian teams from Britain, Ireland and China.

“We’re delighted with this deal and it certainly strengthens the Mobilis Healthcare portfolio,” concludes Colin Webb. “Assuming, like our earlier acquisitions Sacedi and Premier Sports Medicals, that SKF Services is assimilated smoothly into our operational structure and distribution channels, we shall quickly be able to identify key synergies and scope for further market growth.”

Further information from Mobilis Healthcare, 100 Shaw Road, Oldham OL1 4AY, telephone 0161 678 0233, www.mobilishealthcare.com
 

For more information:
http://www.mobilishealthcare.com

Last updated on: 27/08/2010 11:40:18