Access' O2 entry 'makes sense'

ST. LOUIS - While Access Point Medical's new respiratory line represents a different direction, it isn't exactly unfamiliar territory for the company. "There are a lot of people here with respiratory backgrounds--including me," said Rick Davis, vice president of marketing and product innovation. "Several of us are former Puritan Bennett and AirSep folks, so expanding into respiratory makes sense." To be sure, Access has an established manufacturing infrastructure already in place. It already produces and ships HME products from its plant in China and assembly for its new AXS 590 of five-liter concentrator can be dropped in seamlessly, Davis said. Offering HME clients a respiratory option is a natural part of Access Point Medical's evolution, Davis said, as is a heightened emphasis on medical product distribution. The ultimate goal, he said, is to create a "one-stop-shop" identity. "Many of our HME customers also serve the respiratory market and they want to be able to consolidate their orders into one invoice to lower their operating costs," Davis said. "It also helps them increase their minimum order sizes, giving them favorable freight terms." Access plans to start production of the AXS 590 after Medtrade and commercial shipment is slated for November. Davis called the concentrator "robust," saying that it is "simple, reliable and while not the cheapest, has an attractive price point." The company is also partnering with various vendors to distribute complimentary lines, such as liquid oxygen, tubing, nebulizers, carts, racks and pneumatic devices. hme