Frost & Sullivan: Focus on Product Quality as High Demand Persists for Sterilisation and Disinfection Equipment in Eastern Europe

LONDON, January 12 - Due to the lack of adequate financing and weak healthcare infrastructure,
price sensitivity within the Eastern European sterilisation and disinfection
equipment market remains high. Low-cost products enjoy preference within this
market, especially in the public sector. However, the accession of eastern
European countries to the European Union (EU) has compelled these new
entrants to meet EU standards. Therefore, product quality is becoming
increasingly important to end users in this market.

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New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (www.medicaldevices.frost.com),
Eastern European Trends for Disinfection and Sterilisation Equipment Markets,
finds that the market earned revenues of US$67.0 million in 2008 and
estimates this to reach US$114.8 million in 2015. The following products are
covered in this research: steam sterilisers, low-temperature gas plasma
sterilisers, formaldehyde sterilisers, washer disinfectors and automatic
endoscope reprocessors.

"Financial managers at hospitals are increasingly realising the long term
benefit and cost savings associated with the use of sterilisation and
disinfectant equipment," notes Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Jolize
Gerber. "Furthermore, end users are accepting the importance of these systems
in controlling infections and lowering costs associated with nosocomial
infections. These factors are increasing the uptake of higher quality systems
within this market."

Such systems enhance the overall operational cost efficiency by reducing
costs associated with the procurement of single-use instruments. The
procurement of single-use devices and disposables is often more expensive
than using reusable devices, which are sterilised and disinfected.

A period of contraction in healthcare expenditure is expected for the
next 2-5 years due to the current economic downturn. This, in turn, will
affect the growth of hospital budgets, and procurement departments will
become stricter about cost-containment measures.

"Due to restricted budgets and reimbursement issues, investment in more
sophisticated capital equipment is extremely limited," cautions Gerber. "This
is set to hamper growth in the sterilisation and disinfection equipment
market over the short- to medium-term."

Various strategic approaches can be adopted to enable the market to
expand while facing these challenges. Strategies include offering a holistic
service programme, focusing on quality product provision, providing
after-sales and maintenance contracts and educating customers on true return
on investment.

"Offering a holistic service programme and providing continued customer
support will become one of the key success factors for companies in this
market," advises Gerber. "Furthermore, due to the large capital investment
required to purchase sterilisation and disinfection equipment, customers need
to be educated on the true return on investment associated with these
systems."

If you are interested in more information about this study, please, then
send an e-mail to Katja Feick, Corporate Communications, at
katja.feick@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone
number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country.

Eastern European Trends for Disinfection and Sterilisation Equipment
Markets is part of the Medical Devices Growth Partnership Services programme,
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    Eastern European Trends for Disinfection and Sterilisation Equipment
                            Markets (M4AA)

    Contact:
    Katja Feick
    Corporate Communications - Europe
    P: +49-(0)-69-7703343
    E: katja.feick@frost.com

www.frost.com

Katja Feick of Frost & Sullivan Corporate Communications - Europe, +49-(0)-69-7703343, katja.feick at frost.com