Based on its unique capabilities and expertise, Acerde succeeded in attracting the support of this key medical imaging player.
Unique French know-how in medical imaging gets recognition
Sainte-Hélène-du-Lac (France), November 16, 2017 - Acerde, an innovative French company specializing in the development of rotating anodes for X-ray tubes designed for medical imaging applications, announces that it has received the financial support from a world leader in medical technology for its growth and development.
“We are very pleased with this collaboration and feel grateful for the trust that this medical technology leader has placed in us. This validates our high-added-value technology and confirms our innovation potential in the medical imaging field,” welcomes Mr. Herve Poirel, Chairman of Acerde.
Recognition of a unique French medical imaging technology
Based on its unique capabilities and expertise, Acerde succeeded in attracting the support of this key medical imaging player. It will enable Acerde to finalize the development of its innovative products and start the large-scale production with the aim to triple the production capacity by 2019.
“This support provides us with the financial resources required to finalize our development activities, to launch our large-scale manufacturing stage and to ensure the company’s long-term business opportunities. It is also a recognition of Acerde’s unique expertise in the field of medical imaging. Based on our know-how and technological achievements, we are confident about the future validation of our technical and financial milestones,” says Mr. Poirel.
With this financial support, Acerde proves once again the relevance of its 2011 technological and strategic decision to specialize in the production of anodes. “The company, whose sales doubled between the first half of 2016 and the first half of 2017 - thanks to the production of recycled anodes for major medical imaging players and the signing of development contracts - is on a promising path, and we have a solid plan to reach financial equilibrium by 2019,” says Mr. Poirel.
Acerde, a unique know-how in the manufacture of rotating anodes
Acerde started by developing a technology based on HTCVD (High Temperature Chemical Vapor Deposition) for depositions of tungsten and rhenium. This expertise has enabled the company to develop graphite rotating anodes that are designed to be much lighter and achieve far better performances than the current ones, including in terms of rotational speed, heat dissipation and noise reduction. These properties significantly increase the lifespan of the equipment. Today, Acerde is the only company in the world to offer such a technological breakthrough and has positioned itself as the leader of this crucial evolution in the medical imaging sector.
Acerde is using the same technology to recycle used anodes and give them a second life at a very competitive price for the company’s customers, and to strengthen the concept of green business at the heart of customers’ concerns.
The global market of rotating anodes [1]
The world market for rotating anodes for RX tubes reaches 250,000 pieces per year (about €190 million), mainly for exports (U.S.A., China, Japan, Germany and Italy). The first manufacturing unit was set up for an annual production of 1,000 to 1,500 anodes. Acerde has signed numerous collaborative contracts with several key players in the sector, positioning itself in different markets in the United States, Germany, Italy, France, China and Japan. Acerde’s customers are lead medical imaging companies, as well as equipment manufacturers that produce their own RX tubes.
About Acerde
Created in 2006 and headquartered in the Alpespace site of Sainte-Hélène-du-Lac, in Savoie (France), Acerde designs and develops components for medical imaging equipment such as CT scanners, mammography, angiography, interventional imaging. Certified by the lead players in the medical imaging sector, Acerde is now a full-fledged supplier in the European, American and Asian markets. In February 2014, Acerde signed a development contract with a leading medical imaging company in China. Acerde was first funded by seed money raised from the Rhône-Alpes region and business angels, then by the private equity fund Truffle Capital, to support its growth. The company has 12 employees. For more information, please go to: www.acerde.com
