Medical Laser Mergers to Continue

Recent consolidation in the medical laser industry will continue for the foreseeable future. That's the view of Robert Grant from Lumenis, the Israel-based medical laser specialist. "The industry shakeout will continue and there has to be a trend towards more consolidation," predicted Grant. Of the 30-40 companies currently in the sector, over half are not profitable, he added.

Grant, executive vice-president of the surgical and ophthalmic business unit at Lumenis, also stressed that the industry must become more focused on applications, rather than being technology-driven. On the plus side, he said that China offers the industry huge potential for growth, especially for refractive surgery.

He believes that the dominant manufacturers will increasingly build up their research and development portfolios through acquisitions. "We regard the smaller companies as individual 'bricks', which companies like Lumenis will put together and build into a 'wall'," he said.

(Source: APBiscom)