eBusiness Weekly
MedTech Holdings Limited Group, which is now on a rebranding drive to Bridgefort Capital Limited, was listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange in 1997, is a diversified group of companies engaged in the manufacturing, marketing, distribution of health, hygiene, beauty, and pharmaceutical products.
MedTech’s restructuring plan was approved by its shareholders on Monday. The approval has paved way for the establishment of Zimbabwe’s first listed private equity, and the restructuring has taken investment gurus to its board including former IMF country representative, Mr Christian Beddies.
The Group consists of retail, manufacturing, distribution, and services business units.
Retail comprises retail outlets in Harare and Bulawayo. The division has 2 400 lines and specialises in gifts, books, crafts, toys, kitchenware, home décor, furniture, and wedding/festival supplies. Manufacturing comprises a unit based in Ruwa near Harare engaged in the manufacture of well-known Petroleum Jelly and Glycerine Products. The Distribution Division distributes the product and also imports significant volumes of personal hygiene products.
MedTech Medical and Scientific Division sources local and imported pharmaceuticals and distributes these to customers in the healthcare sector. The Services unit is focused on the maintenance of hospital and laboratory equipment.
The Group is a prominent player in the provision, manufacture, and distribution of a wide range of products for the healthcare and consumer sectors. Furthermore, MedTech supplies Government and private sector tenders, as well as various pharmacies, healthcare providers, wholesalers and retailers. Up until recently, the group operated Zimbabwe Pharmaceuticals, a Bulawayo-based pharmaceutical manufacturer.
However, we have recently disposed of that business due to low local demand and business environmental issues.
The Executive Directors and Senior Management are largely responsible for the implementation of strategic plans, with the Non-Executive Directors being involved in monitoring the progress of the business, and re-defining the Group’s business plan, in line with prevailing economic fundamentals.
The MedTech Group legal entities consist of MedTech Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries, S-MART Agencies (Private) Limited, Zvemvura Trading (Private) Limited T/A MedTech Distribution (Private) Limited, MedTech Food and Beverage (Private) Limited, MedTech Education and Laboratory (Private) Limited and MedTech Medical & Scientific (Private) Limited. S-Mart Agencies (Pvt) Ltd operates the retail business unit, and Chicago Cosmetics (Pvt) Ltd is the Ruwa manufacturing arm.
