Direct Healthcare Group snaps up Lynch Healthcare Group in fourth acquisition of 2020
Continuing its expansion plans, Direct Healthcare Group (DHG) has acquired Lynch Healthcare Group, boosting its patient handling portfolio and widening its service offering in the UK.
The announcement follows DHG’s recent purchase of Finland-based pressure care and patient handling manufacturer Carital Group Oy and marks its fourth acquisition of 2020.
In April, the company purchased Handicare’s European and Rest of World patient handling & bathroom safety portfolios and, in March, acquired Sweden-based GATE Rehab Development AB.
Based in Sunderland, Lynch Healthcare Group manufacture a wide range of patient slings, hoisting equipment, and shower chairs, including the David Lynch Tailored range.
The acquisition will see Lynch Healthcare Group’s product lines added to DHG’s rapidly expanding portfolio of solutions, broadening its offering of patient handling slings and bathroom safety solutions.
Graham Ewart, CEO at Direct Healthcare Group, said: “The acquisition of Lynch Healthcare Group further underpins our commitment to providing UK customers with high quality, clinically effective pressure area care, patient handling and bathroom safety solutions for 24-hour care in, around, and above the bed, and beyond.
“More so, the acquisition further enables us to service our expanded patient handling portfolio, ensuring our healthcare workers are provided with effective, reliable patient lifting products with minimal disruption or downtime.”
Having completed several acquisitions in Europe to expand its geographical presence, DHG says the purchase of Lynch Healthcare increases its capacity to service its UK customers in the patient handling arena.
David Lynch, Managing Director at the Lynch Healthcare Group, said “We’re excited by the opportunity to be able to continue to provide our current customers with the level of service that they have expected from us over the years, further backed and supported by Direct Healthcare Group through this acquisition.
“The combination of our solutions and expertise seamlessly complement each other, providing healthcare workers who partner with Lynch Healthcare and DHG access to a broader portfolio and service level.”
Nine acquisitions in under five years…
Founded just over a decade ago in 2009, DHG has enjoyed meteoric growth over the years, largely driven through a successful M&A strategy.
In April 2016, the company completed a private equity-backed management buyout and rapidly went on the acquisition trail, first purchasing bariatric rental specialist Nightingale in June 2016. The following year, DHG acquired specialist seating manufacturer Kirton Healthcare in May 2017, shortly followed by buying the Transflo brand from Karomed in February 2018. In May 2018, pressure care cushion specialist Qbitus was brought into the DHG family and bariatric rental company Poshchair Medical was snapped up in December 2018.
In December 2019, ArchiMed, an investment firm in the healthcare sector, bought out Direct Healthcare Group, providing a significant capital commitment to continue to target strategic acquisitions. In particular, the company set its sights on Europe.
Since ArchiMed’s purchase, the company has completed four acquisitions in less than that 12 months and, in less than five years, DHG has successfully completed nine acquisitions in total.
