Tristel expands German operation, looks further east

Tristel was celebrating the success of its Berlin branch this week, upgrading the operation to what it called full subsidiary status.

The AIM-listed manufacturer or infection prevention, contamination control and hygiene products made the announcement on Tuesday morning, saying the breand had made significant progress in the German hospital market - particularly in the areas of ear, nose and throat, cardiology, urology and ultrasound.

Tristel said the branch began as a single-employee start up with sales of £50,000 in 2010-11, but had grown to sales if £1.4m in the company's last financial year ended 30 June 2015, with an eight-strong sales team.

It claimed the branch counted 80% of Germany's university hospitals as its customers, and has successfully developed markets in Switzerland and Austria as well.

"The progress that we have made in Europe's largest hospital market is evident in the fact that Germany's contribution to group worldwide sales is now approaching 10%", said Tristel CEO Paul Swinney.

"However, there is still enormous potential to exploit if the level of our German sales is to match the United Kingdom (market)."

Swinney said that, while the group has some limited activity in Poland, there is no representation or sales in Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Slovenia or Ukraine.

"The Berlin team will now use their linguistic and cultural ties, and physical proximity, to develop the wider central European market whilst continuing to grow domestic German sales", he said.