Care Essentials
North Geelong (Wathaurong), Victoria.
Regional Exporter recognition two years running
It motivates the whole team to keep improving our service. It also adds value to our reputation. It genuinely helps us find new customers in Australia and overseas, when they hear about the award.
Abhay Sinha, Care Essentials Managing Director.
Regional Exporter winner – Care Essentials.
Care Essentials’ exports in excellent health
21 November 2024
Care Essentials (CE) is on a mission to deliver Australian-made medical solutions to a global market.
These solutions support and protect healthcare professionals and improve patient outcomes. CE patient warming systems prevent hypothermia, reduce the risk of infections, shorten the length of hospital stays and improve overall surgical outcomes.
CE also manufactures top-tier medical personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95/P2 medical respirators, surgical masks, and sterilisation wraps used widely in hospitals. It has also ventured into the pharmaceutical industry through its acquisition of Pharmaust Manufacturing, a manufacturing facility in Perth.
‘By understanding end-users’ demands, we quickly innovate, giving us a competitive edge,’ says CE Managing Director Abhay Sinha.
Exporting regionally made healthcare products to the world
CE exports to over 70 countries from its state-of-the-art 12,000-square-metre facility in regional Victoria.
The past year has seen immense work with 3 very large hospital customer groups which will fuel the growth in the US. CE is confident it can achieve a five-fold increase in revenue in the US alone within the next 2 years.
In Europe, CE secured major tenders in Norway, the Netherlands and Finland. CE also achieved noteworthy export gains in Southeast Asian markets including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Regional Exporter recognition two years running
It’s been a watershed few years for CE. The 2024 winner of the Regional Exporter award category was the 2023 Australian Exporter of the Year after winning the Regional Exporter award category. CE was also the winner in the Regional Exporter award category in 2019. It was also recognised as a national finalist in 2021.
The recognition is a great honour for the CE team. ‘It motivates the whole team to keep improving our service,’ says Sinha. ‘It also adds value to our reputation. It genuinely helps us find new customers in Australia and overseas, when they hear about the award.’
Diversifying exports to meet veterinary healthcare needs
CE has also tapped into the veterinary health market. This has seen recent export sales to the UK, Canada and the US. ‘With just 2 new customers, we increased our vet exports from 0.3% to 3.5% of our total exports,’ says Sinha. ‘We will continue to build on the success of this expansion. Our growth in the vet sector is expected to increase our total sales by more than 30%.’
It’s possible for Australian manufacturing in the medical device industry, to not only survive, but thrive.
It’s essential to be green
CE is always striving to find ways to improve its environmental practices.
‘To bolster sustainability, we are allocating $600,000 over 3 years for R&D in alternative materials and components with low-carbon and waste footprints,’ says Sinha. CE recently introduced an infectious-waste solution that reduces its end-user waste and carbon footprint by 80%.
CE has also established CareGreen, an all-women sustainability team within the company. Team goals include developing biodegradable and recyclable product and packaging alternatives. It is also exploring renewable energy and waste reduction practices.
PharmAust Manufacturing merger delivers comprehensive solutions
In 2023, CE acquired PharmAust Manufacturing, expanding into the pharmaceuticals market, geared towards operating theatres and hospitals. The move complements CE’s existing product range and meets the demands of hospital clinicians.
PharmAust Manufacturing’s Australian-made skin preparation solutions for surgery work alongside CE patient-warming systems. This further enhances pre- and post-surgery care.
Addressing supply chain instability with diversification
Supply chain instability challenges and risks are well managed by CE. To reduce reliance on external suppliers, the company manufactures key raw materials. It has expanded its storage and warehousing capacity to accommodate larger volumes of raw materials and stock for extended periods.
CE also actively diversifies its supplier base, reducing reliance on a single source. ‘We cultivate relationships with multiple suppliers, both domestic and international, and regularly evaluate their performance to identify the need for alternatives,’ says Sinha. CE advises export businesses to communicate regularly with their international distributors.
‘Stay in the front of their minds, and use transparent and tangible measures to assess their performance,’ says Sinha.
Marketing resources support global relationships
To support global marketing, CE produced 10 new product videos in more than 15 languages in the past year. CE also created a dedicated partner page on its website, ensuring 24/7 access to the latest marketing and training materials. This provides effective tools for training and educating end-users. It also reduces local marketing costs.
Essential expansion into new markets
In the coming years, CE plans to expand into Central and South American markets. There will be a special focus on Brazil. It will also target African nations like Nigeria and Ghana. ‘These markets are going through a growth phase in the use of our product as clinical practices change,’ says Sinha. CE projects a 9% market increase in these regions within the next financial year.
In good health
As the biggest medical device market in the world, the US remains a focus.
‘It is our biggest export market, yet we have only scratched the surface of market share,’ says Sinha. ‘The US remains a key target market to facilitate exponential growth.’ And we’ll no doubt keep seeing exponential growth from this regional exporter.
As Sinha concludes, ‘It’s possible for Australian manufacturing in the medical device industry, to not only survive, but thrive.’
Visit Care Essentials website.
Regional Exporter winner – Care Essentials. For the full transcript please visit the Regional Exporter Award 2024 - Care Essentials video on YouTube.
