Manufacturer snaps up surgeon-led enterprise

SHEFFIELD medical manufacturers JRI Orthopaedics have acquired a venture launched by four surgeons.

JRI has bought the Sheffield Medical Products Ltd business from surgeons Professor Ian Stockley, Andrew Hamer, Robert Kerry and Simon Buckley.

The company was founded eight years ago, bringing to market a specialised hip replacement system.

SMPL’s first patients received their new hips in September 2011. Since then the company has supplied around 700 patients with the system, which will be called Avanteon once JRI takes over manufacturing.

SMPL have previously partnered with Sheffield manufacturer JRI Orthopaedics, who have a manufacturing site in Chapeltown, supplying the firm’s hip replacement system exclusively for the last 18 months, as manufacturing certain instruments and implants.

Chief executive Keith Jackson said: “The Avanteon hip system will be fully integrated with our own developed products to provide a comprehensive total hip and hemiarthroplasty hip offering to the market.

“This is a hugely important step in our business growth strategy as we expect Avanteon to feature as a significant and increasingly important part of our product portfolio over the coming years.

“We are delighted that the surgeons who developed it will continue to be involved, providing training based on a wealth of experience, and expert input to further enhancements of the implant range and instrumentation.”

Andrew Hamer said “We are delighted that SMPL has been acquired by JRI as it will allow for further development of the hip system with potential sales in the UK and overseas markets.

“We are particularly pleased that it will be manufactured in Sheffield, which is world renowned for high quality orthopaedic device manufacture. We will continue to play an active role in the future development of the system with particular focus on surgeon training and education.”

 

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close