Doro continues UK telecare expansion with new acquisition as TEC market rush gathers pace
Doro, the leading global telecoms company for older people, has taken another step in its goal to gain market share in the blossoming technology enabled care (TEC) market with the acquisition of Invicta Telecare Ltd (Centra Pulse & Connect) from Clarion Housing Group.
The Swedish assistive technology giant primarily develops digital telecare products designed primarily for the elderly such as alarms and carephones, as well as providing digital TEC services and packages.
Centra Pulse & Connect is one of the top three telecare monitoring services in the UK and a key provider of out-of-hours contact services to local authorities, housing associations, private businesses and charities.
Employing approximately 180 full-times, the monitoring service is the largest part of the business, monitoring 106,000 telecare connections incorporating a wide range of devices.
Now joining Doro’s existing business in the UK, the acquisition will significantly expand Doro’s portfolio and service user base, with the organisation now handling close to 200,000 alarm connections in the UK market.
“By adding Centra Pulse and Connect to the Doro Group, we will continue to build our market presence in the UK technology enabled care services market,” commented Carl-Johan Zetterberg Boudrie, President and CEO of Doro Group.
“The UK market is fragmented and mainly analogue although undergoing a digital transformation. This acquisition enables us to strengthen our competitive offering, and facilitate the transition towards digital telecare in the UK, which will enable new services to increase cost effective safety and independence for service users and customers.”
The acquisition of Centra follows Doro’s acquisition of UK-based telecare company Welbeing in June 2018 as the company looks to capitalise on the shift from analogue to digital TEC.
The telecare market digital goldrush
Providing convenient, accessible and cost-effective care for vulnerable individuals, TEC covers a range of different telecare, telehealth and telemedicine devices and services that help to support people to live safely and independently in their own homes.
With the UK being the largest telecare market in Europe, with an estimated 1.8 million telecare connections in total, Doro highlights that the current market is approximately 95 percent based on analogue connections with a digital shift on the way.
In addition, Doro emphasises the UK market is fragmented, with over 200 alarm receiving centres handling the 1.8 million connections and predicts more consolidation is likely to happen.
“For Doro it is a natural step to continue to increase its presence and acquire a well-positioned telecare services company in one of the largest markets in Europe. This is in line with our strategy to grow our business in technology enabled care services and our recurring revenue base”, added Carl-Johan Zetterberg Boudrie.
Recently, community equipment and services provider Medequip signalled its intent to expand in the TEC sector with the County Careline Services, rebranding the company to Medequip Connect.
Commenting on the acquisition at the time, Peter Gaunt, Operations & Commercial Controller for Medequip, echoed Doro’s sentiments of the TEC market.
“The analogue to digital revolution is changing the world of telecare, with opportunities for more technologically advanced services as we are already seeing in Australia and New Zealand,” he commented.
“Medequip intends to be in the vanguard here in the UK, developing innovative ways of keeping people safe and independent for longer in their own homes.”
Ahead of the acquisition, Medequip became the first commercial organisation operating in the Technology Enabled Care (TEC) industry to secure a new TEC Quality accreditation created specifically for community equipment providers in August.
