Dive Brief:
- Getinge said on Tuesday it acquired Ultra Clean Systems for 170 million Swedish krona ($16 million).
- Ultra Clean, based in Oldsmar, Florida, uses ultrasonic cleaning to sterilize reusable medical instruments, such as those used in robotic surgery.
- Gothenburg, Sweden-based Getinge has been the sole distributor of Ultra Clean’s technology in North America for the last decade. By integrating the two companies, it will be able to ensure service continuity for hundreds of units installed in the U.S., the company said.
Dive Insight:
The acquisition comes as medical device companies face scrutiny over the safety of certain cleaning methods. In particular, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking a closer look at emissions of ethylene oxide, a colorless gas used to sterilize devices that can cause cancer in humans who are exposed to it over the long term.
Currently, Getinge sells steam, water cascade and ethylene oxide sterilizers. By adding Ultra Clean’s technology, “we significantly expand our offering to sterile reprocessing departments in North America, which now contains a complete range of process equipment, consumables and IT solutions,” Stéphane Le Roy, Getinge’s president of surgical workflows, said in a statement. “Getinge’s global sales reach will be a great platform to accelerate the adoption of Ultra Clean’s technologies.”
Last year, Ultra Clean generated 90 million krona in revenue. Getinge said it doesn’t expect the acquisition to have a “material” impact on its profit or earnings per share in 2023.
