Managing Director Lindare Medical
Q How did you start?
A I formed Lindare Medical in 1998 as a vehicle for my Sales Consultancy Business. The sales and marketing work I carried out for other companies resulted in an opportunity to expand Lindare into a Distribution Company in our own right. We are an ISO9001: 2000 Registered Company.
Q What made you choose a career in this Industry?
A As with many of my peers, I came into the Medical industry almost by accident when I accepted a position of Sales and Marketing Manager for a small Surgical Instrument Company in 1990. Prior to that I was involved in sales and marketing in the Brewing Industry with Whitbread Plc.
Q What was your job before this one?
A Prior to forming Lindare I was employed as Export Sales Manager for Surgicraft in Redditch, which is where I gained my knowledge of the Spinal Industry, and where I first considered forming my own company: which is what comes of many hours spent on aeroplanes.
Q What are your plans for the future?
A Lindare has been growing organically for the last several years through a sales operation which is partly made up of experienced Sales Agents, and partly by a direct sales operation. With the acquisition of the distribution rights for the IsoTis Orthobiologics range and our Spinal equipment we have grown dramatically over the past four years.
Q What do you think your experience can do to advance the interests of the Company?
A Strangely my time with Whitbread gave me an excellent grounding in sales and marketing, an ability to concentrate on the detail and a desire to succeed. My export work gave me a group of friends and colleagues who know me, my work ethic, and who have stayed in contact with me throughout the rest of my career. I still see those people on a regular basis at the various medical meetings around the world, and am often approached to distribute products: or for a discussion on who may be available to work with a product or group of products. The ability for me to seek advice and assistance in return is very useful. These links are obviously advantageous if a Product is of interest to us.
Q Do you find your job rewarding?
A Extremely. I work in a vibrant industry with intelligent, interesting people: both the Surgeons and Medical Staff we meet and the sales professionals we work with. I am running my own company and growing it under difficult market conditions.
Q Where is the Company based?
A We are based in a small village in Kent, Smarden. It is a lovely part of the world and very near where I lived when I first came to England from Australia 31 years ago. Access to the whole country is simple from here, and to the continent from Ashford International rail Station and Gatwick Airport.
Q What is the Company focus and what do you offer the Spinal Industry?
A Our main focus is on the Acell Technology and its patented range of Bone Putties, which are rich in nBMP’s and Growth Factors (nGF) from IsoTis Orthobiologics. Fusion in the Spinal Column can be very difficult and we offer bone growth enhancing products from these materials to Allograft bone chips and synthetic granules. These products are also taking the company into other fields within Orthopaedics such as non union surgery, Foot and Ankle, Upper Limb and revision surgery. As a result of that we are looking for other Products which complement our call cycle. Our range of Spinal Implants remain a strong sector for the company, offering excellent products at a cost effective rate for both the private and NHS markets.
Q Do you foresee growth for your Company in the future?
A In the past six months we have recruited a Sales and Marketing Manager in Richard Kinzler, and an Area Sales Manager with Aaron Sullivan running a large section of London for us. The recruitment effort is ongoing as is the search for good, innovative products to complement our existing range. Staff are always the lifeblood of any company and we intend to continue to recruit like minded people. The proposed merger between IsoTis and INTEGRA Life Sciences in the final quarter of 2007 will boost the Research strength of our suppliers and we know of several new Products ready for launching in the first quarter of 2008. The use of our Interspinous process Distraction Device, FLEXIS, (see our Advertisement) is growing steadily, as a very cost effective way of treating stenosis in the elderly, under local anaesthetic.
Q How do you view the future for our Industry?
A The constant acquisition of the smaller, innovative companies in our industry by our larger colleagues, is a sign that they view this segment of the Healthcare Industry as very important. That is positive for them, and I believe also very positive for the smaller companies such as Lindare who offer a very personal level of service, are flexible and capable of reacting to customer requirements swiftly.