Thuasne commercial positioning in medical textiles in Czech Republic

Résumé du document

Company Thuasne was created in 1847 in the field of narrow elastic fabrics. In the 50's, the company refocused its technology and positioned on the high value, added medical textile products, with the concept of 'products of elastic contention'. In this field, the group produces the following product ranges: lumbar belts, elastic contention bands, medical bands, orthesis (ankle protection and medical knee pads); medical stockings and pantyhoses, and products of home maintenance. Then, in the year 2000, the group evolved to the new concept of 'movement therapeutic' by widening its offer to the medical and sporting universe, and pursued its strategy of industrial integration, focused on this concept. In 2000, the company took over a Dutch group specialized in home maintenance products. Thanks to this focus, the company development accelerated and the Thuasne group is now the European leader in the medical and sporting textile markets. Between 1991 and 2001, the sales turnover was multiplied by three and in 2002/2003, the sales exceeded 100 million euros with a manpower of approximately 800 people. One employee out of two is still employed on the group's 'historical' sites, next to Saint-Etienne. Thuasne pursues 3 goals: to care for, to protect, and to develop, while following two axes: 1.Innovation and optimization of the products quality 2. Exploration and penetration of the global market.

Extraits

[...] These products concern indications of traumatology, orthopedy, functional rehabilitation, rheumatology and sports medicine. They are approved and refunded by France's public health insurance and various welfare systems in several European countries. The target is constituted by pharmacists, hospitals, private clinics, truss manufacturers and orthopedists everywhere in Europe. Thuasne runs the brands "Ligaflex, Dynastab, Ortel, Biplast, Theraplast" Widening of the customer target Beyond these reference products, Thuasne now seeks to widen its offer with the concept of "movement therapeutics", specifically improving its coverage of sportsmen protection. [...]

[...] In the same way, the logistic function was shaped in order to guarantee very short deadlines between the various European units centers of production in France, one in Germany). The logistic unit of the Loire ( 10.000 opened in 1996 thus makes it possible to answer under 48h to the European customers orders. CONCLUSION The Czech experiment is only one element of Thuasne's international deployment program. Used as a basis before taking foot on new markets, the Czech establishment will be used as pilot-site for other establishments within the CEE zone. It is likely that the economic catching-up will be strong within the 10 countries in pre-accession. [...]

[...] The group is positioned on a high added value segment of textile products, answering very demanding schedules of conditions (hospital products, medical materials subjected to the sickness insurances' approval etc . International presence then no longer depends on a "delocalization- competitiveness" logic but more on an international development and conquest of new markets one. The group's strategy is based on three objectives: 1. Offer diversification 2. Widening of the target-customer 3. Penetration of new international markets 2. [...]

[...] In the 50's, the company refocused its technology and positioned on the high value added medical textile products, with the concept of "products of elastic contention". In this field, the group produces the following product ranges: lumbar belts, elastic contention bands, medical bands, orthesis (ankle protections and medical knee pads); medical stockings and pantyhoses, products of home maintenance. Then, in the years 2000, the group evolved to the new concept of "movement therapeutic" by widening its offer to the medical and sporting universe and pursued its strategy of industrial integration, focused on this concept. [...]

[...] In the current growth in consumer expenditure, the demand for health devices will not be an exception. In parallel, on its markets of reference (intra-European) the group has undeniable competitive assets in the positioning of its products and its numerous innovations. Important potentials of market exist thus in the following fields: - Bio-communicating Textiles - "Intelligent" Textiles & polymers - Nanotechnologies All these fields open the way to new product lines for the markets of widened Europe: Applications - health: Tele-monitoring: teletransmission of medical parameters for the old people, the disabled people. [...]