Our Business Model
Our business is about improving people’s mobility so they can live a Life Without Limitations®.
We develop and manufacture a wide range of prosthetic, neuro orthotic and bracing & supports solutions in addition to serving patients in need of various mobility solutions in our patient care facilities across the globe.
Patients
The patients we serve include people with lower and upper limb loss due to, for example, vascular diseases including diabetes, as well as cancer, trauma and congenital defects. They also include individuals who require off-the-shelf or customized orthotic solutions as they may have developed osteoarthritis in knee or hip ligaments, have musculoskeletal conditions present at birth or caused by illness or injury, or require enhanced healing post-surgery or due to injuries.
New major lower limb amputees per year
New upper limb amputees per year
30-40%
of new amputees are fitted
with prosthetic solutions
65-70
is the average age
of the amputee population
Source: Company Management estimates
The main cause for lower limb amputation is vascular related diseases. Based on market data, it is however evident that the proportion of people living with limb absence due to trauma, cancer and congenital defects is higher than the incidence rate would suggest. The reason being that the average life expectancy of people with lower limb loss due to vascular related disease is shorter than of those with limb absence due to other causes. This underscores the potential opportunities in catering to the needs of chronic patients that need lifelong service and why 70-80% of Patient Care revenue is recurring.
Our industry-leading brands Össur, FIOR & GENTZ and College Park develop prosthetics, neuro orthotics and bracing & supports solutions, from an idea to a finished product.
Innovation
With every product, the aim is to deliver cost effective medical solutions that provide value for patients and the healthcare system. To obtain independent clinical evidence for product outcomes as well as health economic data, our companies initiate and promotes clinical studies in cooperation with leading scientists, institutions, and healthcare professionals in the field.
As part of our ambition to be at the forefront of innovation and new technology, we participate in externally funded projects, collaborating with partners from industry and academia alike. We take part in various projects where world class scientists are involved in cutting edge research. This enables us to join forces in shaping the technology of the future with the mission of improving people’s mobility.
Manufacturing and Quality
Embla Medical maintains a strong global manufacturing function. We continuously strive for efficiency, which includes finding ways to optimize the manufacturing process and investments have been made to make the manufacturing platform increasingly scalable. Since 2009, the global manufacturing platform has consolidated its operations, presently functioning in 13 fewer locations compared to in 2009.
Manufacturing of advanced prosthetic solutions, including bionics, takes place in Iceland and Scotland. Manufacturing of prosthetics solutions, components and premium bracing solutions takes place in Mexico. Manufacturing of neuro orthotics components takes place in Lüneberg, Germany. Finally, we outsource the manufacturing of soft goods to China and have a few smaller specialized manufacturing facilities in selected countries.
Great emphasis is placed on quality, and it is an intrinsic part of our processes. Leading prosthetic brand Össur has had a certified Quality Management system in place since 1993 which is based on ISO management standards and complies with the applicable medical device regulations in the countries that Össur operates in. Össur is certified to the global ISO 13485:2016 Medical Device Standard and the Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP).
Sales and Marketing
Products are delivered to users of our products and solutions through healthcare providers who specialize in assisting individuals who suffer from impaired mobility. In Prosthetics, these customers are O&P clinics and in Bracing & Supports, it is a combination of O&P clinics, hospitals, and surgery centers. Our customers claim reimbursement from private or public insurance as products and services are in most cases reimbursed. Embla Medical's brands have operations in 36 countries and largely sell products and solutions through their own direct sales network.
Patient Care
Össur, FIOR & GENTZ and College Park products are serviced through a global network of patient care clinics. Moreover, in selected countries, Embla Medical manages its own Patient Care facilities, operated under different brand names. Each location is staffed by expert clinicians and highly skilled mobility professionals. The clinics help people with limb loss or limb difference, in addition to people in need of gait and musculoskeletal support, live active and productive lives.
Prescribers and Payers
Prescribers include healthcare professionals who prescribe products and services based on the clinical indication of their patients. These include orthopaedic surgeons, non-surgical physicians, rehabilitation, and emergency physicians as well as other professionals providing medical diagnosis.
Payers include healthcare systems, insurance companies and individuals. In most cases, when an individual has been fitted with a product, our customers claim reimbursement from the relevant public institutions or private insurance companies. Around 90% of our product sales and services are estimated to be reimbursed by a third party. Generally, sales in the developed markets are mostly reimbursed while sales in emerging markets are mostly paid out-of-pocket.