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Portland Orthopaedics appoints Australian distributor

26 / 02 / 2008

Portland Orthopaedics (ASX:PLD) has engaged Taylor Bryant Surgical Specialties Division of Lifehealthcare Pty Ltd to market and sell Portland's hip replacement products throughout Australia.

The three-year agreement is effective immediately. Lifehealthcare is exclusive selling agent in Australia and its 9 orthopaedic sales staff boosts Portland's expert selling resources targeting orthopaedic surgeons.

Lifehealthcare is one of Australasia's leading medical device distributors with a very extensive distribution network. The Surgical Specialties Division is focused on high-end medical devices for a number of specialist areas including orthopaedics, spinal surgery and neurophysiology. Portland benefits from its profound local market understanding, marketing expertise in Portland's market segment and its dedicated sales team.

"This agreement with Lifehealthcare provides Portland with the best platform for raising the profile of Portland's M-COR and Equator Plus modular hip product. We expect accelerating sales in Australia," said John Brassil, Portland Orthopaedics managing director.

"Our product is already well regarded by orthopaedic surgeons in the US and we know that Lifehealthcare will find the same response among Australian orthopaedic surgeons."

Michael Bryant, director of sales & marketing for the Surgical Specialties Division of Lifehealthcare said "The Portland product is among the best in its class and it's a fantastic opportunity for our sales team to deliver this kind of product to our orthopaedic customers."

Portland expects that the impact on its sales will begin in March 2008 with a rapid growth in the number of Portland modular hips implanted over the next 12 months in Australia.