HTL-Strefa signs international deal with NIPRO

The company announced it signed a seven-year distribution contract with NIPRO Corporation of Japan, one of the world's leading suppliers of disposable medical equipment, to distribute HTL's products in the US, Japan and Europe under its own brand. The initial value of the contract is believed to be EUR 12 million. "We have been in talks for a year. We are very pleased that such a big company as NIPRO agreed to supply our products under its own brand," said Andrzej Czarnecki,  HTC CEO. Already this year, NIPRO wants to sell at least ten million HTL products to the US market, for which both companies have the necessary FDA approvals. HTL's lancets are currently being registered for the European market and a similar procedure will soon be launched for Japan. Under the deal, NIPRO will sell 45 million HTL lancets per year until 2014. Meanwhile, HTL also is known to have been in advanced talks to acquire a rival, but it declined to give any details. (Rzeczpospolita, B3; Parkiet, p. 1, 6; Puls Biznesu, p. 11) R.M.