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Health Care Enterprise Group, One That Looks To Have An Exciting Future. (HCEG)     

goldfinger - 22 Oct 2003 16:09

Yes I know Im on holiday so Ill make it quick. Just had a phone call and an e- mail from a City pal of mine and hes drooling over this company. Hes a trust worthy chap and has given me some fantastic tips over the last 10 years.
Hes going on about it being a ten bagger, but I dont like that kind of talk, best to just see how the market rates it. He says theres going to be a lot of news flow so that should provide for a momentum driven price. Have to say I have never known him quite so excited about a stock. Ive just gone in and bought a nice holding.

Heres the e-mail he sent me. It might be worth your while having a dabble. Citywire seem to think its going to be a hit.

Health minnow makes strong return to market
Published: 11:51 Wed 22 Oct 2003
By Joanne Wallen, Associate Editor
Email to a friend


The chief of Healthcare Enterprise Group sold his last business to private healthcare firm Bupa and he's now raring to go again; the business may be worth a second look.

Shares in the 24 million AIM-listed business were suspended in August pending a couple of key acquisitions, and returned to the market on Monday after the deals were announced.


Healthcare Enterprise Group (HCEG) (HCEG) paid a total of 11.5 million for the Safa Group and Industrial Pharmaceutical Service (IPS) as well as a 60.7% stake in SafaTec. The company raised a total of 10 million via a placing of shares at 1p to fund the acquisitions and also took on 3.5 million of bank debt.


Chairman Stuart Bruck, who previously founded private medical services business Barbican, which he sold to Bupa in January 1999, is hoping to build a significant business providing medical services to corporate customers. He is hoping to be a consolidator in what he told Citywire is a very fragmented market.


Both Safa and IPS provide first aid kits, training, first aid suites and a host of other medical and occupational health services to large corporate customers such as British Airways, Marks & Spencer, BT, Sainsbury and government procurement agency OGC. Both companies also have advanced 'replenishment systems,' which enable companies to maintain adequate supplies to satisfy UK health and safety legislation.


Bruck said these acquisitions would provide a 'platform' for further acquisitions.


The company had previously accrued minority stakes in a total of 14 small healthcare services companies in the UK and the US. In March it listed on AIM by reversing into a cash shell.


Bruck said the minority stakes offered it an entry into the market, but the company has now decided to focus on wholly operating and owning businesses. It has therefore identified four of its US businesses that it would like to buy the remaining stakes in. These are all within a two hour drive of the company's Los Angeles office, and would be run from there.


The company has also 'packaged up' the remaining eight businesses with a view to selling each of its minority stakes. Bruck said the pricing being talked about is already ahead of the indicative pricing given in March.


Safa and IPS apparently already have a 30% share of the corporate medical services market in the UK. They are both cash generative from operating activities. Both companies are based in the North of England and do not have a huge penetration in London, where Bruck believes the company has 'a huge opportunity.'


He reckons they have so far penetrated around 50% of the FTSE 100, and therefore have a 'great client base' to which they should be able to sell additional services.

SafaTec has interests in a number of early stage companies that have developed some innovative healthcare products and technologies, which the company is hoping to commercialise. For example, Safa has secured a sole international distribution agreement with Ebiox, a manufacturer of a unique decontaminant and cleansing product range based on a patented formula. SafaTec UK has a 35% interest in Ebiox and HCEG is negotiating to acquire a controlling interest for the enlarged Group.


Bruck does not expect to make any more major acquisitions in the next year or so, but thinks there are a lot of small players that the company might be able to mop up.


'This is very exciting, I am looking forward to digging in,' he said.


Shares are currently at 1.7p.


Citywire Verdict:


The corporate healthcare market is becoming increasingly regulated, which favours HCEG. Bruck's track record should also be worth buying into.


The corporate structure looks pretty complicated at present with all of the minority shareholdings, but Bruck now seems keen to get the point quickly where HCEG controls the majority of the businesses it operates.


This is obviously early days, but for anyone that fancies a speculative punt on a penny share, HCEG is worth a second look.ENDS.

Well it looks very good to me although its a speculative punt, what isnt in the markets today. Good chance to get on board aswell on a bad day.

Please DYOR. You are responsible for your own buying and selling actions.

GF.

jj50 - 06 Jun 2004 16:42 - 187 of 316

hotrott

Interesting article - they certainly haven't solved the MRSA problem yet so let's hope our ebiox becomes more in demand. See you have mastered the "copy and paste" and putting it to good use already!

cathbroadley - 06 Jun 2004 16:54 - 188 of 316

JJ50 could you tell me how to copy and paste

upanddown - 07 Jun 2004 07:25 - 189 of 316

results here

Company Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC
TIDM HCEG
Headline Final Results
Released 07:00 7 Jun 2004
Number 4580Z






Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC
Preliminary Results for the year ended 29 February 2004
Maiden preliminary results since transformation into an international healthcare company focused on specialised, high-value products, supply and services in the UK, Europe and the US.


Key points


Creation of the market leader in the UK occupational health and first aid sector


Announced today: agreement to acquire First Aid UK


Acquisition of pipeline of exciting healthcare products for major market sectors


Ebiox- rollout of decontamination products to combat MRSA and other infections


Focus on UK, US and EU growth sectors in healthcare



Janus - 07 Jun 2004 07:26 - 190 of 316

Proposed acquisition of First Aid UK Limited



http://www.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/200406070700104564z.html

Troys - 07 Jun 2004 10:14 - 191 of 316

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC
07 June 2004


Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC


Proposed acquisition of First Aid UK Limited


Consolidation of market leading position in UK occupational health and first aid
sector


Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC ('HCEG' or the 'Group'), the healthcare products
and services company, announces the signing of heads of agreement to acquire
First Aid UK Limited. The acquisition, which is subject to agreement of
definitive documentation, should further strengthen the Group's market leading
position in the niche occupational health and first aid sector. This
transaction is expected to complete shortly.

The total consideration for the acquisition will be 2 million with
approximately half payable immediately and the remainder paid as an earn-out
over two years.

First Aid UK Limited generates revenues of approximately 2 million per annum
from sales of first aid kits and products to a wide customer base including NHS
and local authority customers and high street retailers. HCEG should benefit
from the operational synergies of this acquisition in the areas of management
and product purchasing. Additionally the enlarged customer base should provide
marketing synergies through the addition of a range of important new customers
for the Group's products and services.

First Aid UK Limited will continue to operate from its premises in Cheshire with
the CEO, Andrew Pear, widening his role to join HCEG as a senior manager with
responsibilities across the Group's occupational healthcare businesses.

A further announcement will be made upon the execution of a binding share
purchase agreement.


Stuart Bruck, Executive Chairman, Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC, commented:

'When Healthcare Enterprise Group was formed, our stated aim was to take
advantage of the consolidation opportunities within the highly fragmented
marketplace for manufacturing and distributing occupational healthcare and first
aid products. This proposed acquisition would position us firmly as a leading
operator in this niche marketplace.

'Under the deal we will welcome Andy Pear to the operational management team,
who will work closely with us in the management of our combined companies in the
UK.'

Janus - 08 Jun 2004 09:34 - 192 of 316

Its taken some time but there is now a website

http://www.hce-group.com/

Troys - 09 Jun 2004 08:51 - 193 of 316

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC
09 June 2004

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC


German distribution agreement


Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC ('HCEG' or the 'Group') the healthcare products
and services company announces its initial step into the German healthcare
products market, with the appointment of Distrimatch GmbH as the distribution
partner to Safa-IPS Healthcare Ltd, HCEG's first aid and occupational healthcare
products division. The agreement covers the distribution of disposable and
consumable, non-durable medical products covering the markets of Germany,
Switzerland and Austria.

Distrimatch has commenced the supply of a range of products, from Safa-IPS
Healthcare to Asklepios Kliniken GmbH, one of Germany's largest private hospital
chains.

Distrimatch, which is 18% owned by Healthcare Enterprise Group, has operated
from offices on the Volkswagen Innovations Campus in Wolfsburg, Germany for over
three years. The company has a comprehensive distribution database specialising
exclusively on medical products and devices.


Stuart Bruck, Executive Chairman, Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC commented:

'Beyond our 18% holding in Distrimatch, this is the first step in a series of
planned moves by the Group to gain a foothold in Germany, the third largest
healthcare market in the world.'


William Klebusch, Managing Director, DistriMatch GmbH commented:

'The Asklepios Kliniken GmbH with its 83 hospitals, represents a noteworthy
entry point for HCEG into the German market. We are currently working to
rapidly expand our product range into this strategic customer. In addition, we
see many commercial applications for HCEG's exclusive medical technologies which
we will actively implement.'



9 June 2004

Enquiries:

Healthcare Enterprise Group 020 7351 7500
Stuart Bruck, Executive Chairman
Gordon Wood, Group Chief Operating Officer

College Hill 020 7457 2020
Nicholas Nelson
Corinna Dorward








This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange


B_ASKIN - 08 Jul 2004 10:57 - 194 of 316

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC
08 July 2004


Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC

Acquisition of Optiscope Technologies Ltd
Proprietary technology for disposable endoscopes

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC ('HCEG'), the healthcare products and services
company, announces the acquisition of a controlling interest in Optiscope
Technologies Ltd. ('Optiscope'), a developer of disposable rigid endoscopes
using proprietary technology. HCEG believes that, as the only disposable
endoscope in the market, Optiscope has significant advantages over endoscopes
currently in use, which will underpin the adoption of the product throughout
hospitals and clinics worldwide.

Pursuant to the Acquisition, in exchange for an investment of US$100,000, HCEG,
through its controlling interest in SafaTec (UK) Limited, increased its holding
in Optiscope from approximately 32% to 55% of its outstanding shares. The
Acquisition entitles HCEG to appoint a majority of the Optiscope Board of
Directors, and gives HCEG purchase and forced sale rights over certain of the
remaining Optiscope shares held by minority shareholders.

An endoscope is a surgical optical instrument for the examination of internal
tissues and organs in the body and is an aid to surgical operations. According
to research data compiled by HCEG, the worldwide market size for rigid
endoscopes is approximately $165 million per annum and growing.

The cost of a comparable re-useable rigid endoscope incorporating fibre optics
is circa $3,000 per instrument. These are frequently damaged during use,
resulting in costly repairs. They also require disinfection, decontamination,
sterilization and servicing following each operation and, with a life span of
approximately 200 operations, the estimated cost per use is $40.

Optiscope utilizes a revolutionary, patented method of binging light to the
optical view without the use of expensive and fragile fibre optics. The viewing
tube utilizes plastic lenses thus allowing the Optiscope to be fully disposable
after use. This gives Optiscope a significant clinical advantage as it
completely removes the risk of any cross contamination. Optiscope is expected to
be manufactured at a cost not exceeding $5, thus allowing hospitals the ability
to buy multiple devices and assisting in the reduction of waiting times.

Optiscope is already in early stage discussions with a number of companies, in a
wide range of medical areas, interested in licensing Optiscope products.

Optiscope is a product of the portfolio of research products from SafaTec (UK)
Limited, which was acquired by HCEG in November 2003.

Stuart Bruck, Executive Chairman, Healthcare Enterprise Group Plc commented:

'Optiscope provides HCEG with the opportunity to capitalize on the global
distribution of a truly innovative healthcare product. The cost and ease of use
implications should encourage early adoption.

'We believe that the Optiscope products, as distributed through HCEG's
distribution infrastructure, can capture substantial market position in world
healthcare markets. '

8 July 2004


Enquiries:

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC Tel: 020 7351 7500
Stuart Bruck, Executive Chairman
Gordon Wood, Chief Operating Officer

College Hill Tel: 020 7457 2020
Nicholas Nelson / Corinna Dorward


This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

Troys - 14 Jul 2004 08:20 - 195 of 316

Are we going to see an improvement in share price after the current news relating to goverment hospitals and MRSA. Healthcare Enterprise have the answer with Ebiox.

john50 - 16 Jul 2004 09:35 - 196 of 316

did not search very far Gary K.

skids - 16 Jul 2004 09:43 - 197 of 316

thank you john50

hangon - 19 Jan 2005 17:11 - 198 of 316

In Nov2003 I got some Warrants...... Then we had CONSOLIDATION in 2004 (of 25:1).....
does anyone know if the Warrants are also affected? (by the same 25:1 maybe)

I have just received a new HCEG Cert for the shares, but nothing about these Warrants.

piston broke - 19 Jan 2005 19:01 - 199 of 316

if you have a look at trades then they are circa 1.50p so I certainly hope not

Troys - 27 Jan 2005 10:18 - 200 of 316

moving nicely today

piston broke - 28 Jan 2005 07:14 - 201 of 316

Now moving into Asia with a contract win. This could really open the flood gates into that part of the world and going East will really help them move North....enjoy the ride all you HCEG holders.

ethel - 28 Jan 2005 11:34 - 202 of 316

Chart looks like the price will drop before rallying to 80p or,hopefully 100p in the short term.The Asian markets are enormous.

Realistic - 28 Jan 2005 17:10 - 203 of 316

Very good news today but: More than a million buys but the price is lower at 16.30 than it was at 8 o'clock this morning. you must be right ethel. Do the mms have that much stock that they can give it away and lower the price? Stil musnt moan at this price itis nearly 3p in old money if you see what I mean.

Troys - 11 Feb 2005 08:31 - 204 of 316

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC
11 February 2005


Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC

Increased shareholding in Optiscope Technologies Ltd
Development milestones achieved

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC ('HCEG'), the international healthcare products
and services company, announces agreement to increase its shareholding in
Optiscope Technologies ('Optiscope') to 66.25% for a consideration of $100,000
payable in cash. This follows the achievement of significant development
milestones by Optiscope.

Optiscope has a range of rigid disposable endoscopes and is one of HCEG's key
portfolio technologies. In November 2004, HCEG, Optiscope and Wahl Optoparts,
part of Jenoptik AG, entered agreement to finalise the development of Optiscope
and bring it to production via a series of pre-agreed milestones leading to the
manufacture of a prototype for clinical testing. The initial important
performance indicators have been reached resulting in a planned run of 1,000 of
these devices to be available in four to six weeks.

Optiscope combines a revolutionary, patented optical design with innovative
plastic manufacturing methods and components, to produce a commercially viable
and fully disposable surgical endoscope. This gives the device a clinical and
economic advantage, by removing the risk of cross contamination normally
associated with the re-use of expensive re-usable endoscopy equipment.

Optiscope has been technically proven to match or better the performance
criteria of existing re-usable endoscopes.

In addition to the elimination of the cross contamination problem, a key
advantage of the Optiscope products are their low cost per unit. A conventional
laproscopic endoscope retails for approximately $3,000, a significant capital
investment, with cleaning, sterilisation and repair for re-use, at additional
cost and a frequent reason for the creation of bottlenecks in clinical
procedures. By offering a low cost single use, disposable alternative,
Optiscope provides an economically viable solution for budgetary constrained
hospitals worldwide.

The Optiscope family of products will be made available to hospitals and clinics
at an extremely attractive unit cost.

Stuart Bruck, Chairman, Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC, commented:

'One of our founding principles is to introduce new products into the
international healthcare marketplace which address an immediate economic and
social need. Optiscope has huge market potential as it addresses problems
common to overstretched hospitals throughout the world - eliminating cross
contamination and helping to reduce procedure times.

'Optiscope has received modification by Wahl Optoparts and has been bench tested
to exacting standards. We look forward to the next step towards
commercialisation.

'We anticipate more significant positive news relating to Optiscope in the
future.'

11 February 2005
Enquiries:

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC 020 7351 7500
Stuart Bruck - Executive Chairman
Gordon A Wood - COO

College Hill
Nicholas Nelson/Corinna Dorward 020 7457 2020


Notes to editors

Endoscopy

An endoscope is a surgical optical instrument for the examination of internal
tissues and organs in the body and is an aid to surgical operations. According
to research data compiled by HCEG, the world-wide market size for rigid
endoscopes is approximately four to five hundred million dollars per annum and
growing.

The cost of a re-useable rigid endoscope incorporating fibre optics is circa
$3,000 per instrument. These are frequently damaged during use, resulting in
costly repairs and treatment delays. They also require disinfection,
decontamination, sterilization and servicing following each operation and, with
a life span of approximately 200 operations, the estimated cost per use is $40.



This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange



upanddown - 11 Feb 2005 17:36 - 205 of 316

not the response I would of expected on the shareprice,perhaps it isn't exciting enough for those who jump in and out or for a quick profit but with more good news to follow it won't be long until they breach the previous bid high of 71p.A good cheap and simple piece of equiptment which will do wonders for the company,unlike some others who keep promising Medysis for example and nothing turns up.

R1SPINNER - 07 Mar 2005 08:50 - 206 of 316

Ta very much Goldfinger!!!! That's several drinks I owe you now!!!
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