Although major international medical and health equipment trade shows take place year round, the second half of the year sees a particular concentration of such events, with key exhibitions such as Rehacare in Dusseldorf, Germany and Medtrade in the U.S. taking center stage. Keeping these important events in mind, Taiwan manufacturers of medical and health equipment products often purposely time the release of their latest offerings to match the opening of the trade shows, in order to seize the opportunity to show their innovations to a large range of international buyers in one fell swoop.

Suzric Ent. Co., a maker of healthcare products located in Taipei, Taiwan, was established in 1985. The company has approximately 60 employees, with 10 of them hard at work in the firm's R&D division.

Suzric's most recent product release is the Aeolus static antibedsore system, produced in cooperation with the German healthcare company RUSSKA and the ProMedikos Institute for medical communication in Germany. "The beds are the result of years of research and effort, beginning with physician Johannes Meyer, who came from the specialty of intensive care medicine," said Suzanne Kuei, president of Suzric.

Meyer's main fields of activity were chronic ulcers and work with body-surface pressure mapping and electronic wound measurement systems. One of his main research subjects was the effect of the internal pressure of air-filled antibedsore systems with regard to the distribution of body-surface pressure. After years of effort and multiple tests on volunteers, he developed a correlation between the body mass index and the best internal pressure of systems.

In 1999, Suzric began its cooperation with RUSSKA to develop new air-filled antibedsore systems on the basis of Meyer's research. Differing from the previously used antidecubitus system, which had an automated changing pressure position whereby one pump controlled the inflation of mattress cells and would alternate the inflation and deflation at set intervals, the new Aeolus 2000, 2500 and 3000 systems are adapted to the different state of each patient and regulate the internal pressure of the mattresses according to the body mass index of all patients - the correct internal pressure for each patient. All systems incorporate a software-regulated control unit, available in numerous languages.

"In Taiwan, there are really no other companies who have this technology," said Kuei. While the ProMedikos Institute was responsible for the initial research, Suzric handled the technical design and R&D required to turn out the mattresses. Recently, the mattresses were shown for the first time to international buyers at the Rehacare show in Germany. "The response we received was excellent," said Kuei.

RUSSKA manages the product sales in Europe, while Suzric is responsible for all other areas worldwide. "We normally attend both Medtrade and Medica as our major trade show vehicles," commented the company president.

Karma Medical Products of Chiayi, central Taiwan, is another medical products manufacturer that recently returned from the Rehacare show in Germany. The firm is a maker of aluminum alloy manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs and electric scooters. The manual wheelchairs come in adult, pediatric, transport, commode, reclining, sport or custom-made models. Power wheelchairs come in outdoor, indoor or traveling models, and electric scooters are available in both four- and three-wheel versions.

The "Karma Scooter", the company's latest product release, was just introduced a few months ago in the summer of 2001, according to a company spokesperson. One of the most notable features of the scooter is the innovative molding and striking style, which not only turned heads at the Rehacare show, but is also all but guaranteed to attract attention on the street. The scooter's sturdy wheels provide a stable and comfortable ride.

The company's main competitive advantages include a quick response time, a complete product line, unsurpassed quality, competitive cost and a reliable manufacturing system. Karma was established in 1987 and maintains between seven and eight specialists in its R&D department.

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