Tie-up with business Down Under sees Cheshire healthcare firm make New Zealand debut

Advanced wound care and dermatology business Crawford Healthcare has announced a partnership with ASX and NZX-listed EBOS Healthcare in a venture will push it into the New Zealand market for the first time and expand its Australian presence.

The deal with Australasian medical supplies distributor EBOS Healthcare, which is estimated to significantly increase Crawford’s revenue from overseas markets, will give the company access to public and private hospitals and communities across both countries.

Crawford’s entire wound care range was recently launched in New Zealand, while its halo Ag Oxysalt products will join the wider product portfolio available in Australia by mid-2018.

The range will be welcomed by the more than 1.4 million people living with diabetes in Australia and New Zealand, the Knutsford-based company said, given the products’ success in healing stubborn chronic wounds which often afflict patients with diabetes and ageing populations.

Chris Lane, director of strategy at Crawford Healthcare, said:: “In EBOS Healthcare we’ve found a partner that shares our vision for improving healthcare outcomes through innovative products that address today’s most pressing healthcare challenges and the associated costs.

“Market entry into New Zealand and expansion in Australia caps off a great year for Crawford’s international strategy, following significant development of our overseas operations in the Middle East and winning FDA-clearance for the KerraCel Ag range in the USA. Our advanced wound care dressings, developed by our in-house R&D team, will continue to serve an expanding global audience for years to come, with diabetes prevalence and ageing populations universally on the rise.”

Andrew Pickering, EBOS Healthcare’s national sales manager, said: “Long term partnership opportunities are critical to prospering in the Australian healthcare market.  Our joint venture with Crawford provides a great platform for success, combining our established multi-channel market presence with some of the world’s most advanced products in wound care, which will perfectly cater to a growing demand in ANZ.”