BPL Healthcare, which is into manufacturing and marketing of medical equipment, is in discussions with Welch Allyn, a US diagnostic products firm in frontline care for co-product development and co-manufacturing. It could later manufacture medical equipment developed by Welch Allyn.
The tie-up could be a joint venture between the two companies. BPL is in the process of setting up a sales and service network for the equipment marketed by it. The company has invested about Rs 1.5-2 crore in distribution and stocking centres across the country.”We have a team of 350 pairs of sales and service team, and we have appointed sales franchisees,” said Vijay Simha, COO & VP, Health Management Solutions, BPL Ltd.
The company would also look to customise many of the features of the equipment for the Indian market which are mostly for use at the first point of care. The joint product development would focus on more suitable for working in Indian conditions, and make the equipment more rugged so that they can continue to work even when handled roughly, said Simha.
BPL’s focus in the healthcare sector has been the primary healthcare. The company is looking at public-private partnership projects to push sales. With its focus on primary healthcare, its delivery has been at the primary health centres. But, it is not very profitable though. The company has only been able to promote its products and famiiliarise the healthcare sector with their products.
Many of the products are suitable for implementing telemedicine, said Francis Sim, regional director, Welch Allyn. One can remotely diagnose a problem and upload it online to be accessed by a doctor, almost in real time.
BPL has been focussing on value-based solution for customers, which would also have a low cost of ownership. BPL’s focus is on preventive pre-hospitalisation. Welch Allyn, which has just entered India, hopes to make India a springboard to many of the neighbouring markets.
While many of the large companies selling large equipment were hit by the slowdown in India, BPL says, its healthcare division remained untouched.
It was chiefly because of the government initiatives like the National Rural Health Mission scheme of the Centre. The companies are now running a pilot telemedicine project in Vallabhi in Andhra Pradesh.
The company has been selling to the Health Management Research Institute or HMRI of the AP government at a cost basis.
BPL had seen a topline of Rs 80 crore in 2008 and the company hopes to have revenues of Rs 110 crore this fiscal.
