Bright idea sees lighting system maker expand in Middle East

Leeds-based Brandon Medical is poised to increase sales in emerging economies such as the Middle East and India.

Brandon's lighting system makes it easier for surgeons to differentiate between tumours and surrounding tissue.

"It emulates the best of natural daylight,'' said Graeme Hall, the company's managing director.

Mr Hall said the lights helped medical staff to cut out tumours with greater precision, which meant, for example, that a brain tumour could be removed while causing the minimum of harm to the brain.

He believed the company could grow from 40 to 80 staff between now and 2013.

If the company hits its targets, turnover could rise from 6m to 50m by 2020, Mr Hall added.

Although some cuts in public spending were anticipated in the UK, Mr Hall expected to pick up new business in the Middle East, South Africa and India; which have been less severely affected by the economic slump.

Brandon has recently started production in India under an agreement with Trivitron Healthcare, India's biggest medical technology provider.

The deal, which included an initial $2m (1.36m) investment by Brandon, has allowed the company to make theatre lights in a new manufacturing plant at Trivitron's medical technology park in Chennai, formerly Madras.

It is one of the first facilities of its kind in India. The move was in response to improvements in India's healthcare system.

The company has launched an audio-visual system to improve healthcare training.

The system uses video and audio to allow surgical procedures to be supervised and viewed in high definition around the world.

Brandon has installed the system in UK, Irish and Danish hospitals.

The company has also introduced lights which ensure germs have no hiding place. The company has developed what is believed to be the world's first anti-microbial medical lighting, which can halt the spread of superbugs such as MRSA.

Brandon has developed a manufacturing process which involves moulding PolygieneTM (a well-known anti-microbial agent) directly into lamp heads.

Polygiene is a powerful killing-agent, which has been successfully tested against a wide variety of harmful bacteria, viruses and yeasts including MRSA and SARS.

Yesterday, it was revealed that Brandon was in contention for a major accolade. Brandon is one of 25 representatives chosen to represent the UK in the European Business Awards, which is sponsored by HSBC

The final category award winners will be named in Paris on November 16.

Mr Hall said: "We've been operating for more than 15 years in the medical industry and

it's an honour to be recognised as one of the leading organisations in our country and in our field.

"The European Business Awards are widely recognised as the showcase for Europe's most dynamic companies. We're looking forward to the next round of the competition where we'll be competing across Europe to receive a Ruban d'Honneur."

Noel Quinn, HSBC head of commercial banking, said: "Brandon Medical and

the 24 other country representatives will provide tough competition for the other businesses representing their nations this year, and we wish them every success at the next stage."

Also included in the list of 25 companies that will represent the UK in the European Business Awards is Simplybiz, the Huddersfield-based compliance and business support services provider, which is chaired by Ken Davy.

Innovation awards winner

Brandon Medical specialise in medical lighting, audio-visual systems, and architectural equipment.

Since being rescued from receivership in 1993, the company has become one of the UK's fastest growing medical devices and systems companies.

In recent years, the company has moved to a 23,000 sq ft factory unit in south Leeds and doubled its workforce.

About 20 per cent of its staff are involved in research and development. It won five innovation awards in 2008 and a further seven last year.

Brandon Medical was a finalist in the Innovation of the Year category at the 2009 Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards.