Medical Chronicle November/December 2013 | Page 18

NEWS

named

exporter of the year
CliniSut, a Port Elizabeth-based suture-manufacturing company recently won the top export
award for its growth and innovation. Medical Chronicle interviewed CliniSut Sales and Export
Manager, Neil Bussy, to find out more about the company.
CliniSut originated in 1987, with
the goal to produce a competitively
priced range of high-quality sutures
for both the local and export markets.
After two years devoted to extensive
research of the global surgical wound
closure material (suture) industry,
it opened a factory in Commercial
Centre, Commercial road, Port
Elizabeth, with assistance from the
Industrial Development Corporation.
At the end of 2006, CliniSut was
acquired by Akacia Healthcare, part of
the CareCross Healthcare Group.
Akacia Healthcare consists of five
major divisions:
• CliniSut in Port
Elizabeth
• Akacia Medical in
Cape Town manufactures
and distributes a large
range of medical and
surgical products, plus a
comprehensive range of
related consumables
• Akacia Surgical is
dedicated to providing
a comprehensive range
of quality surgical
products to the
healthcare industry
specialising in minimal
invasive, cardiothoracic,
gyneacological,
urological and general
surgery
• Akacia Pharma
in Johannesburg
manufactures and
distributes a large range
of branded, generic and
niche complimentary
medicines
• Akacia Consumer markets
and distributes its own as well
as leading international brands in
Southern Africa.

Focus on quality
CliniSut sutures are made in clean
room conditions to the highest
standards and, depending on the
product, are sterilised either by
gamma radiation or ethylene-oxide

gas. Automated packaging and a
unique pouch system, both of which
are patented designs, have made
CliniSut products even more userfriendly. Specialty products are
manufactured using laser-drilled
needles, providing the best needle/
suture combinations for easier
passage through tissue, and ensuring
less tissue trauma.
Quality is a major focus of the
company. “We have recently been
audited by the SABS and will shortly
feature the SABS stamp of approval
on all our products,” Bussy said. This
will be in addition
to the ISO
certification
(9001 and
13485) and CE
marking that
the products
already carry.
CliniSut
has grown
to the extent
of exporting
sutures to over
41 countries
around the
world. It
has been
successful
in securing
tenders to
many export
markets
including the
Jordanian,
Ugandan,
Mauritian,
Libyan,
Namibian,
Lesotho and
Swaziland governments.

Global expansion plans
Attending medical exhibitions is
one of the marketing vehicles that
the company uses. In November,
CliniSut will be exhibiting at Medica in
Dusseldorf, Germany, known to be the
biggest medical fair in the world. Arab
Health is next on the list in January
2014, which CliniSut also uses as a
platform to meet with existing and
potential new customers. CliniSut

18 MEDICAL CHRONICLE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013

Global markets include:
• Africa: Angola , Botswana,
Burundi, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya,
Lesotho, Libya, Malawi,
Mauritius, Mozambique,
Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal,
Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania,
Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
• Middle East and Asia:
Israel, Jordan, Lebanon,
Myanmar, Saudi Arabia,
Syria, Singapore, United Arab
Emirates, Yemen.
• Europe: France, Georgia,
Greece, Hungary, Italy,
Netherlands, Norway,
Romania, Slovakia, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK.
is also considering attending one of
the shows in South America, such as
Hospitalar in Brazil.
In addition to be above, continuous
travel is required to maintain and grow
existing markets.

Local markets
CliniSut has been at the forefront
of suture development in SA and
is very much a part of the local
market, with half of its turnover
being generated locally. It has
successfully supplied sutures to
government and private institutions
throughout SA reaching the most

rural sectors for the past 24 years.
“The whole focus of ‘local
is lekker’ has become more
prominent. Our factory in Port
Elizabeth employs more than 100
people, of which about 80% are
sole income earners in a household.
The local and national economy
is stimulated by the support of
local industry and their products,
thereby creating job opportunities
and reducing unemployment,”
Bussy commented. This is not the
case when the market supports an
imported product.

Award
The company firstly won the award for
Best Exporter - Small Business. “What
really blew us away was winning
overall Exporter of the Year, awarded
to the company that shows the most
sustained growth, innovation and
export potential.
“CliniSut is a focused company
run by dedicated and experienced
people with a passion for what
they do. We strive to achieve
‘zero defect’ in both products and
service, doing the right things right
first time, as our mission statement
says,” Bussy concluded.