June 2021
Agilitas, the pan-European mid-market private equity firm, today announces the completion of the buyout of Frontier Medical Group (the “Company” or “Frontier”), a leading medical device manufacturer that focuses on skin and wound care.
Frontier’s skin and wound care business was founded in 1997 through collaboration with NHS clinicians from the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff to develop the Repose® range of reactive air products to address the increasing clinical burden of pressure ulcers. The Company has over 24 years’ experience designing and manufacturing clinically proven, high-quality and cost-effective products that are used in the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. Frontier supplies both acute and homecare markets in the UK and internationally and maintains its market-leading position through a dedicated in-house Research and Development function, which continually develops new innovative products and range upgrades. In addition, in 2016 the Company acquired Toto®, an automated lateral patient turning system that has quickly established itself as a crucial adjunctive therapy in the management of immobile patients and preventing pressure ulcers.
The Company’s focus on providing high-quality and clinically effective products reduces patients’ pain and discomfort; reduces time spent in treatment; and lowers the overall costs incurred by the healthcare system by preventing issues before they occur. The skin and wound care sector enjoys significant defensibility, with positive regulatory forces and high barriers to entry, which have been enhanced by the European Medical Device Regulation. Recent clinical studies have confirmed Frontier’s products as the gold standard for pressure ulcer prevention1.
The Company has 85 employees and operates internationally via its headquarters and manufacturing facility in South Wales, as well as offices in Berlin and Buffalo, NY. It has direct sales teams in the UK, Germany and the US, and benefits from a network of distributors across 18 countries. Frontier’s rapid organic growth is driven by the high quality of its products, which significantly reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers.
The buyout of Frontier is the latest example of Agilitas’s strategy of backing ambitious management teams in high-quality and defensive businesses, with opportunities for multi-dimensional business transformation and a strong alignment between shareholder value and fundamental positive purpose.
Anael Le Youdec of Agilitas, who will be joining the Board of Frontier Medical Group, commented: “We are delighted to be backing Frontier Medical Group’s efforts to bring its innovative skin and wound care products to even more patients around the world. We are excited to back such a talented management team to capture the multiple avenues of business transformation open to the Company and in doing so help it to develop new high-quality solutions and expand its geographic reach further.”
Simon Jackson, CEO at Frontier Medical Group, commented: “We are delighted to become part of the Agilitas portfolio. This transaction is in line with our global strategy as we continue to invest in strengthening our skin and wound care business in both the UK and international markets. It offers us a great opportunity as we reinforce our position as a company oriented to offering clinically and cost-effective solutions to our customers, launch further new products and open a new head office and manufacturing site later in 2021.”
Martin Calderbank, Managing Partner at Agilitas, said: “Frontier Medical Group is a high-quality and defensible business that provides critical products, and which benefits from a clear alignment between shareholder value creation and societal good, based around the effectiveness of its products. The work Agilitas will undertake with management to take the Company’s growth to the next level will allow it to have an even greater positive impact on patient outcomes and help further reduce total treatment costs for health service providers.”
Media enquiries to: Greenbrook – Alex Jones and James Madsen
+44 20 7952 2000 | agilitas@greenbrookpr.com