Why isn't Biotronik doing better?

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Anonymous said:
To answer the original question;
Poor coverage, average products, dull management and stale reps.

Pick any 2 from 4 for the 'big' 3 for Biotronik it's all 4. Sorry folks you know it.!
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Once again, we need to follow the BIG picture......

Technological Advances and Minimally Invasive Procedures to Drive the Cardiovascular Devices Market

The innovations in technology and design of cardiovascular devices in past the few years have led to an increase in the demand for cardiovascular devices. The modern day devices such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatible pacemakers will increase the demand for pacemakers as the majority of patients require an MRI after implantation. Other innovative products such as artificial hearts, bioresorbable stents, tissue heart valves and heart rhythm devices with wireless telemetry features are driving the cardiovascular devices market. Along with these innovations, cardiovascular procedures which are minimally invasive are also resulting in the growth of cardiovascular procedure volumes. Procedures such as balloon angioplasty and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) are minimally invasive techniques. Transcatheter heart valve replacement is a minimally invasive technique for heart valve replacement. Heart Valve surgeries, including valve repairs and valve replacements, are the most common minimally invasive heart surgery procedures.

Procedures such as Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (MIDCAB), Port- Access Coronary Artery Bypass (also referred to as PACAB or PortCAB), Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB), Robotic Assisted Coronary Artery Bypass (RACAB) and Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (TECAB) are minimally invasive procedures. Procedures such as balloon angioplasty and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) are minimally invasive techniques. Endovascular Aortic Repair (EVAR) is a procedure to treat abdominal aneurysms endovascularly and is minimally invasive. Transcatheter heart valve replacement is a minimally invasive technique for heart valve replacement. Heart valve surgeries, including valve repairs and valve replacements, are the most common minimally invasive heart surgery procedures. Other procedures such as epicardial lead placement: placement of leads for biventricular pacemakers (cardiac resynchronization therapy), transmyocardial laser revascularization and minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation are also minimally invasive procedures.

The advantages of minimally invasive surgeries include less pain, lower risk of infection, reduced blood loss, reduced Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hospital stays, improved postoperative pulmonary function, fast recovery and improved quality of life have increased the patient satisfaction. These advantages are driving younger patients to undergo surgery as they need less recuperation time and can get back to work sooner. The minimally invasive techniques are also advantageous to the elderly and high risk patients as there are fewer traumas associated with the procedure and a lower risk of infection.


Medtronic, Inc. to Dominate Global Cardiovascular Devices Market

Medtronic holds the leading market position with 23% of the cardiovascular devices market share It has a wide product portfolio with products in pacing systems and implantable cardiac rhythm devices. The acquisition of Invatec and two affiliated companies, Fogazzi and Krauth Cardiovascular, as well as the $370m purchase of ATS Medical Inc. in 2010, played an important role in maintaining Medtronic’s market share in the cardiovascular devices market. The Invatech deal broadened the product portfolio of Medtronic and enabled it to market drug-eluting balloons covering the coronaries and lower extremities, while the ATS merger enabled the company to provide open-pivot bileaflet mechanical and 3f pericardial valve technology to cardiac surgeons.

Other major companies in the industry are Boston scientific with a 15% market share, St. Jude Medical with 11% and Abbott laboratories with 9%. The cardiovascular devices market is dominated by these four major companies, which together capture a 59% market share. The market is fragmented with many smaller companies operating in the market. These smaller companies include Cordis, Terumo and Sorin. Companies such as Edwards LifeSciences, C.R. Bard, Biosense Webster, Philips Healthcare and Biotronik also have very good product portfolios for specific categories in the cardiovascular devices market.
 






Anonymous said:
Once again, we need to follow the BIG picture......

Technological Advances and Minimally Invasive Procedures to Drive the Cardiovascular Devices Market

The innovations in technology and design of cardiovascular devices in past the few years have led to an increase in the demand for cardiovascular devices. The modern day devices such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatible pacemakers will increase the demand for pacemakers as the majority of patients require an MRI after implantation. Other innovative products such as artificial hearts, bioresorbable stents, tissue heart valves and heart rhythm devices with wireless telemetry features are driving the cardiovascular devices market. Along with these innovations, cardiovascular procedures which are minimally invasive are also resulting in the growth of cardiovascular procedure volumes. Procedures such as balloon angioplasty and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) are minimally invasive techniques. Transcatheter heart valve replacement is a minimally invasive technique for heart valve replacement. Heart Valve surgeries, including valve repairs and valve replacements, are the most common minimally invasive heart surgery procedures.

Procedures such as Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (MIDCAB), Port- Access Coronary Artery Bypass (also referred to as PACAB or PortCAB), Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB), Robotic Assisted Coronary Artery Bypass (RACAB) and Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (TECAB) are minimally invasive procedures. Procedures such as balloon angioplasty and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) are minimally invasive techniques. Endovascular Aortic Repair (EVAR) is a procedure to treat abdominal aneurysms endovascularly and is minimally invasive. Transcatheter heart valve replacement is a minimally invasive technique for heart valve replacement. Heart valve surgeries, including valve repairs and valve replacements, are the most common minimally invasive heart surgery procedures. Other procedures such as epicardial lead placement: placement of leads for biventricular pacemakers (cardiac resynchronization therapy), transmyocardial laser revascularization and minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation are also minimally invasive procedures.

The advantages of minimally invasive surgeries include less pain, lower risk of infection, reduced blood loss, reduced Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hospital stays, improved postoperative pulmonary function, fast recovery and improved quality of life have increased the patient satisfaction. These advantages are driving younger patients to undergo surgery as they need less recuperation time and can get back to work sooner. The minimally invasive techniques are also advantageous to the elderly and high risk patients as there are fewer traumas associated with the procedure and a lower risk of infection.


Medtronic, Inc. to Dominate Global Cardiovascular Devices Market

Medtronic holds the leading market position with 23% of the cardiovascular devices market share It has a wide product portfolio with products in pacing systems and implantable cardiac rhythm devices. The acquisition of Invatec and two affiliated companies, Fogazzi and Krauth Cardiovascular, as well as the $370m purchase of ATS Medical Inc. in 2010, played an important role in maintaining Medtronic’s market share in the cardiovascular devices market. The Invatech deal broadened the product portfolio of Medtronic and enabled it to market drug-eluting balloons covering the coronaries and lower extremities, while the ATS merger enabled the company to provide open-pivot bileaflet mechanical and 3f pericardial valve technology to cardiac surgeons.

Other major companies in the industry are Boston scientific with a 15% market share, St. Jude Medical with 11% and Abbott laboratories with 9%. The cardiovascular devices market is dominated by these four major companies, which together capture a 59% market share. The market is fragmented with many smaller companies operating in the market. These smaller companies include Cordis, Terumo and Sorin. Companies such as Edwards LifeSciences, C.R. Bard, Biosense Webster, Philips Healthcare and Biotronik also have very good product portfolios for specific categories in the cardiovascular devices market.
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Not to mention the new in-office injectable heart monitor MDT will soon release!!!!!
 












How would BIO products be seen if they were acquired by a company like J&J?

And before someone jumps in with 'Max would never sell the family biz'- just consider the question.

CRM and Biosense Webster; Cordis Peripheral and Coronary combined with Biotronik's new peripheral and coronary stents, DEB, etc.

J&J gives you coverage, name recognition, institutes integrity, Advamed Guidelines, Sunshine act.

Biotronik fills a huge hole in J&J's portfolio, and makes them once again a major force in the Cardiovascular market.

Not saying it could ever happen, but how would Biotronik's products be viewed then?
 






Anonymous said:
How would BIO products be seen if they were acquired by a company like J&J?

And before someone jumps in with 'Max would never sell the family biz'- just consider the question.

CRM and Biosense Webster; Cordis Peripheral and Coronary combined with Biotronik's new peripheral and coronary stents, DEB, etc.

J&J gives you coverage, name recognition, institutes integrity, Advamed Guidelines, Sunshine act.

Biotronik fills a huge hole in J&J's portfolio, and makes them once again a major force in the Cardiovascular market.

Not saying it could ever happen, but how would Biotronik's products be viewed then?
Click to expand...

Our products are the LEAST of our problems...the real problem is our lack of coverage aross the map. If you can't offer service after the implant, it becomes an insurmountable problem. The good news that the future of CRM is forcing The Big 3 to look more like us everyday...with each round of RIFFs they are forced to pull back on services they once offered because there were 7 people in a territory.

Next, J&J's entry into the CRM through us does nothing to change the fact that the market is dead. Slow tachy growth and commoditized Brady means that there really is no room for all of us. Now, if J&J came in and started offering palates of pacers along with their band aids through their GPOs...that would possibly work, but the lifestyle / compensation for the reps servicing those contracts would be abysmal.

There's your hypothetical...now to restate what you've already put out there....Max Jr. will never sell daddy's creation...he's got FU money already, why fix it if it isn't broken?
 






Anonymous said:
Our products are the LEAST of our problems...the real problem is our lack of coverage aross the map. If you can't offer service after the implant, it becomes an insurmountable problem. The good news that the future of CRM is forcing The Big 3 to look more like us everyday...with each round of RIFFs they are forced to pull back on services they once offered because there were 7 people in a territory.

Next, J&J's entry into the CRM through us does nothing to change the fact that the market is dead. Slow tachy growth and commoditized Brady means that there really is no room for all of us. Now, if J&J came in and started offering palates of pacers along with their band aids through their GPOs...that would possibly work, but the lifestyle / compensation for the reps servicing those contracts would be abysmal.

There's your hypothetical...now to restate what you've already put out there....Max Jr. will never sell daddy's creation...he's got FU money already, why fix it if it isn't broken?
Click to expand...

News Flash--J&J is getting out of anything involving cardio and they will never get into the high risk, decreasing ASP business of devices...never happen!
 






Anonymous said:
How would BIO products be seen if they were acquired by a company like J&J?

And before someone jumps in with 'Max would never sell the family biz'- just consider the question.

CRM and Biosense Webster; Cordis Peripheral and Coronary combined with Biotronik's new peripheral and coronary stents, DEB, etc.

J&J gives you coverage, name recognition, institutes integrity, Advamed Guidelines, Sunshine act.

Biotronik fills a huge hole in J&J's portfolio, and makes them once again a major force in the Cardiovascular market.

Not saying it could ever happen, but how would Biotronik's products be viewed then?
Click to expand...

Not to mention achieving immediate economies of scale in sales, marketing, bundling of related CV-businesses and providing true experience in GPO / key account management worldwide. The product research and production groups could pretty much remain intact. Sounds like a great McKinsey plan, huh?
 






Anonymous said:
Not to mention achieving immediate economies of scale in sales, marketing, bundling of related CV-businesses and providing true experience in GPO / key account management worldwide. The product research and production groups could pretty much remain intact. Sounds like a great McKinsey plan, huh?
Click to expand...

This is not a far fetched possibility. At some point the company will have to make a bold change like that to remain successful in the changing environment. However, they will need to do better on 3 fronts: 1) growing sustainable market share, 2) improve productivity per headcount, 3) catching up on technology. They are growing and launching some great new technology into a fairly robust product line already. Whip the sales field into shape and they are a prime target for an impressive acquisition by a company like J&J.
 






Anonymous said:
This is not a far fetched possibility. At some point the company will have to make a bold change like that to remain successful in the changing environment. However, they will need to do better on 3 fronts: 1) growing sustainable market share, 2) improve productivity per headcount, 3) catching up on technology. They are growing and launching some great new technology into a fairly robust product line already. Whip the sales field into shape and they are a prime target for an impressive acquisition by a company like J&J.
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"At some point the company will have to make a bold change like that to remain successful in the changing environment."

I disagree because the environment is actually changing to suit Biotronik's exisiting business model: European Style Managed Care.

Considered another way: The Big 3 are making the bold changes with RIFFs and Remote Programming Technologies.

The bulk of the market recognizes that "cutting edge technology" as defined over the past 5 years actually means "rush to market". So, Biotronik's safe albeit glacial pipeline will be what matters most in a mostly commoditized CRM market. Forget the Bells and Whistles - 80% of my patients just need to pace, shock or Resync.

Like most Germans, Max Jr. likes elaborate model train sets. In this case, his happens to be a global presence passed down from Sr. No buyouts.
 






Anonymous said:
"At some point the company will have to make a bold change like that to remain successful in the changing environment."

I disagree because the environment is actually changing to suit Biotronik's exisiting business model: European Style Managed Care.

Considered another way: The Big 3 are making the bold changes with RIFFs and Remote Programming Technologies.

The bulk of the market recognizes that "cutting edge technology" as defined over the past 5 years actually means "rush to market". So, Biotronik's safe albeit glacial pipeline will be what matters most in a mostly commoditized CRM market. Forget the Bells and Whistles - 80% of my patients just need to pace, shock or Resync.

Like most Germans, Max Jr. likes elaborate model train sets. In this case, his happens to be a global presence passed down from Sr. No buyouts.
Click to expand...

Only problem is his model train is called the J&J Express...toot toot all-aboard!
 












Anonymous said:
with all the quality issues plaguing the "big three", why isn't Biotronik growing market share?
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It's been almost six months since this question was posed. It's pretty clear that Biotronik is slowly chipping away and doing much, much better. I give much credit to Bio's Sr. Management for staying the course and slowly building up the company's field capabilities.

Unlike the "big three" there is very little criticism of Bio management on CP.
 












it gets old when a small company like bio does well and it is immediately decided that it must be based on illegal activities. that's hogwash. i have been in the business almost 14 years and worked with another crm company before landing at bio. not all of my business that i had prior to the switch to bio has followed me. but, i have been able to make a great living with bio and my business is growing. i'm actually selling more units now (but asp's are lower so my revenue is lower) and making comparable money if not more.

i don't pay doctors. i don't do underhanded stuff. i just give the doctors service and stand behind a product that luckily has not had the recall issues that bsx, mdt, and now stj seem to be cursed with. my docs count on me to be there for their patients that have devices when needed. nothing has changed.

yes, i miss the 100's of legacy devices i left behind and could count on for gen changes. yes, i miss the many patients i'd gotten to be friends with. yes, i miss the nice base salary and company benefits that were great across the board. but, at the end of the day, i am in a better place as long as this industry remains a commodity with no real differentiation. CRM is basically a widget that has no real game changer amongst the companies.

so, look out top 3. as you continue to make products that fail.........we at bio will gain. only thing saving the top 3 right now is that most of your employees are basically clinicals and not sales people. if they left their respective big 3 companies the business would not follow them. therefore, the top 3 are safe. trust me, if those sales reps knew that their business would follow..........they would be over here at bio in a heartbeat (getting paid higher %'s).

not stupid over here.
 












not sure where you got the 4.5%. i've been told it is more along the lines of 7-8%. getting onto larger contracts is more difficult than meets the eye. the big 3 bundle other divisions to make sure they stay on contracts. because bio's presence is solely in the CRM market (at this time and foreseeable future) it makes it tough to win a contract. no leverage! make sense?
 












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