GE Healthcare has acquired the ultrasound probe repair operations of Unisyn Medical Technologies.
On May 29, GE said it was acquiring Unisyn's transactional business, which includes its ultrasound probe repair activities as well as other service-related operations. The deal gives GE a presence in ultrasound probe repair that it previously lacked.
Based in Golden, CO, the Unisyn business includes 64 employees who service ultrasound probes from multiple manufacturers. The operation will be integrated with GE's Global Services unit, with a primary focus in the U.S. and Canada. GE will retain the Unisyn name.
GE made the acquisition as part of its growing emphasis on service, not only in healthcare but also across GE business lines, according to Mike Swinford, president and CEO of Global Services for GE Healthcare. Many hospitals are shifting to an in-house service model, and the acquisition gives GE the opportunity to provide more support to in-house service personnel, as well as new capabilities such as probe repair.
"In the probe area, we were more of a manufacturer and remanufacturer of probes, so we see this as an opportunity to get into probe repair, open up a great growth opportunity, and service a big segment of the market," Swinford said.
The business that GE is acquiring also includes FirstCall, a probe-testing device that enables engineers to diagnose, repair, and test probes before they are shipped back to customers. FirstCall provides objective measures of probe performance by testing the acoustic and electrical properties of ultrasound probes.
In related news, Unisyn said it plans to rename its diagnostic imaging field service business as Consensys Imaging Service, which will operate as a standalone entity in Cary, IL. Other than a new name and corporate headquarters location, the firm's field service operations will remain unchanged.
