Smith & Nephew Dyonics president: "We will be the arthroscopy leader."

Health Industry Today, August, 1995

The new company will be known as Smith & Nephew Endoscopy and will sell its line of major brands that includes Acufex, Dyonics and Dyonics Video. Smith & Nephew Endoscopy will be headquartered in Andover and maintain manufacturing facilities there as well as Mansfield, and Oklahoma City, Okla.

Hospitals and day surgery buyers will be the target of sales efforts in a market estimated at approximately $350 million. To reach those markets, Smith & Nephew Endoscopy will utilize its own 150-member sales force plus the 60 U.S. sales representatives that were employed by Acufex. One dilemma must eventually be solved, however. The Smith & Nephew Dyonics reps were independent distributors, while the Acufex reps were direct employees.

Smith & Nephew Dyonics has about 600 products, while Acufex will contribute another 400 to the amalgamated product mix. The new company will continue to market Dyonics and Acufex brand name products to capitalize on their brand equity and market shares. The two companies are said to have minimal product duplication. Smith & Nephew Dyonics expects that a new product, a mini-camera, will receive FDA clearance sometime next month. In all, Smith & Nephew Endoscopy will be able to offer product lines in all three major endoscopy equipment fields: manual and powered instruments and imaging systems.