Mediplus: export success.

A Buckinghamshire family business is celebrating a double success after a major breakthrough in the rapidly emerging market of Brazil and also reaching the shortlist of next month’s Chartered Institute of Marketing Excellence Awards.

Set up 23 years ago, Mediplus develops and manufacture medical devices for the urology, urogynaecology, gynaecology, gastroenterology and anaesthetics sectors. Its latest product – a non-invasive bladder analysis system for men – recently received official recognition in Brazil, leading to firm orders and the promise of many more. 

Prostate

Clinically proven to measure male bladder contractility, the High Wycombe-based company’s Mediplus CT3000 improves outcome prediction for men considering surgery for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) by up to 87%, representing cost and time-savings for the UK National Health Service.

A paper written by chief of the Department of Urology of the Federal University of São Paulo, Dr Fernando Almeida, was presented at the National Brazilian Congress in Goiania in November. It explored the accuracy of the non-invasive method compared with  conventional urodynamic studies. Dynamed, the Mediplus distributor in Brazil, received a number of orders for the CT3000 at the congress and, with 4,000 urologists in Brazil, this represents a significant opportunity for the company.

Journey

It’s been a long but productive overseas journey for Mediplus, which signed up to UK Trade & Investment’s (UKTI) Passport to Export programme back in 2004. This government-backed  service provides tailored support to help small and medium-sized businesses open the doors to international trade. It includes a two-day Winning & Delivering Business Overseas Workshop, subsidised training, a full company diagnostic, development of an export action plan, advice and guidance, and up to £1,500 of matched funding.

The company then went on to work closely with UKTI South East International Trade Adviser (ITA) Angus Murray. UKTI conducted an Export Communications Review (ECR). This provides companies with an on-site evaluation of the way it communicates with export markets, and includes a review of the company’s website, written materials and personal meetings with customers or agents and distributors.

Mediplus sales and marketing director James Urie tells Modern Selling.com: ‘UKTI’s assistance has been tremendous. The ECR really helped us identify areas of improvement with our website and how to maximise its reach and offering from an international perspective.’

He adds: ‘We are now giving the site a complete overhaul and embracing social media strategies, adopting search engine optimising (SEO) techniques and improving our content. It’s going to be a much more interactive site, containing forums and news for customers, distributors and patients.’

Mexico

In 2008, Mediplus commissioned UKTI’s Overseas Market Information Service (OMIS) to research and identify contacts in Mexico. Following a trade mission to Mexico last year, accompanied by trade adviser Murray, who assisted with translation and set up several meetings with potential distributors, significant progress has also been made in the Mexican market. 

After attending a UKTI South East ‘Doing Business in Mexico’ event in October 2009, the company has decided to head to Mexico again this March, via UKTI’s Market Visit Scheme (MVS), to finalise contracts with its first distributor there and source a second. Matched funding from UKTI through MVS will help towards the cost of travel and accommodation on the trip.

Germany

In November 2009, as part of its overseas strategy, Mediplus exhibited at Medica, the world’s largest medical trade fair, in Düsseldorf, with funding from UKTI’s Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP). TAP provides up to £1,800 for eligible companies to attend overseas trade shows. This is the third year in a row the company has exhibited at the show. In 2008, it met a potential German distributor and, within the last six months, has signed an agreement.

Sourcing distributors in Colombia, Bolivia and Costa Rica is next on list and plans are also under way to investigate the South African market.

Award

As a fitting end to a successful 2009, Mediplus has been shortlisted as one of four finalists in the Medical Suppliers category of The Chartered Institute of Marketing Excellence Awards. The results will be unveiled at an awards ceremony at London’s newly built Grange St Paul’s Hotel on 17 February.

For more information on how UKTI can help SMEs, please visit www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk. UKTI South East is dedicated to increasing the competitiveness of SMEs in the region through international sales development. A team of International Trade Advisers delivers tailored help to businesses who are either exporting for the first time or looking to enter new markets. For more information on UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Team South East, please phone Customer Services on 08452 789600, email info@uktisoutheast.com or visit www.uktisoutheast.com.

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