From humble beginnings in 2003 to becoming one of Ireland’s leading healthcare distributors, HC21 has continuously expanded its expertise, partnerships, and product portfolio. Over the years, we’ve built lasting relationships with global healthcare brands, strengthened our logistics and training capabilities, and grown into a trusted partner delivering innovation, transparency, and excellence across every stage of the medical supply chain.
2003
HC21 Established
HC21 was established by Owen Curtin from a small home office in Cork, Ireland.
Primarily focused upon the provision of sales, marketing and logistics operations to the acute care sector, the company grew into a specialist supplier of leading-edge healthcare solutions, premium consumables, medical devices, equipment and services to all healthcare providers.
The same family ethos upon which HC21 was founded still exists today; something that Group CEO, Tara Kearney takes great pride in. Tara joined HC21 in it’s infancy in 2003 and has passionately driven the company culture and values from the outset. Partners are welcomed into the Healthcare 21 family, enabling the sharing of expertise and knowledge as one organisation.
2004
365 Healthcare established in UK
2006
Premier Healthcare
Acquiring Premier Healthcare enables HC21 to expand its portfolio into the primary care market. The move also results in significant revenue growth projections by utilising Premier Healthcare’s expertise within this field.
2007
EuroMed
Acquired EuroMed and awarded Wholesale Pharmaceutical License The acquisition of EuroMed, opens new opportunities in the wholesale pharmaceutical sector.
Both companies share a vision of collaboration and quality, making EuroMed a natural fit into HC21’s network of healthcare partners. In addition, EuroMed’s expertise within medical devices and diagnostics enables expansion into previously untapped markets.
2008
Tools for Living
Acquisition of TFL to expand primary care offering. HC21 expands primary care portfolio further through the acquisition of specialist Tools for Living. The move also develops new leads and connections within the primary care sector.
2012
Established HC21 in the UK
This presented HC21 with an opportunity to mirror what it was doing in Ireland for the UK market and established the UK arm in Leeds as part of its ambition to be one of the largest medical suppliers in Europe.
After spending €1.2 million on a new decontamination and recycling facility in Annacotty, Co Limerick, the Irish Decontamination business represented a diversification of service offering.
2014
Medtronic
Signed significant new contracts with Medtronic and sold 365 Healthcare to Bunzl Healthcare.
HC21 has been working with the Surgical Stapling and Critical Care portfolio of the world’s largest medical device company, Medtronic, since 2003. More than fifteen years on, and the partnership has grown significantly, encompassing 5,350 individual product codes and delivering in-market annual revenues of more than €25M, across both Ireland and the United Kingdom.
2016
New German & Austrian business
Opening of Wiesbaden CS centre supporting new German & Austrian business
The Healthcare 21 partnership with Allergan extends across four European countries and five brands. In 2015, HC21 took over the LifeCell portfolio across the UK and Ireland before extending this partnership to Germany and Austria, setting up a dedicated customer service and logistics centre, in Wiesbaden, Germany. In 2017, Allergan transferred its substantive Natrelle® breast implant business to Healthcare 21 in Germany, and then to its operations in the UK and Ireland the following year.
2018
Aquilant
2019
HC21 Group acquires UK leading healthcare imaging company Xograph Healthcare
The acquisition of Xograph Healthcare truly underlined HC21’s intentions. As the largest independent medical imaging equipment supplier throughout the UK and Ireland, Xograph had an unenviable reputation as the key supplier to the NHS, HSE hospitals, private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres.
It not only confirmed HC21’s strategy for growth and expansion, but also a commitment to the highly innovative MedTech and Diagnostic Technical services industry.
2020
Cardio Solutions
HC21 Group acquires Cardio Solutions Early 2020 saw the acquisition of Cardio Solutions, one of the UK’s foremost independent distributors of cardiothoracic, vascular, electrophysiology and interventional cardiology products through the UK and Ireland.
The Yorkshire business had developed strong partnerships with the world’s leading suppliers of cardiac implantable devices, consumables and surgical instrumentation to provide a complete solution package for open, minimally invasive and port access surgery.
It marked the third acquisition of leading, mainland UK businesses in less than three years, and saw HC21 virtually triple in size.
2021
Healthcare 21 Group acquired by AddLife AB Group
AddLife a Swedish publicly listed Med Tech company is a specialist healthcare organisation, with 55 subsidiary companies, across 25 countries in mainland Europe. The AddLife business model is for their Group companies to continue to operate independently, on a stand-alone basis, in their business areas and regions, under their own brands.
Being part of a large European Healthcare group facilitates delivery of an expanded product and service offering, accelerating growth and positioning Healthcare 21 for the next stage of its journey.
2022
O’ Flynn Medical
O’ Flynn Medical are a Cork- based healthcare company offering product sales, rental and technical services to the hospital sector, private customers, and nursing homes across Ireland.
The company has significant expertise in the mattress and bed rental market segment, in addition to a broad product portfolio range of high-quality healthcare equipment across primary care and bariatric market segments. O’Flynn offer a full-rental option on healthcare equipment together with a state-of-the-art decontamination service and a full-service department.
2023
Addition of Emmat Medical
AddLife a Swedish publicly listed Med Tech company is a specialist healthcare organisation, with 55 subsidiary companies, across 25 countries in mainland Europe. The AddLife business model is for their Group companies to continue to operate independently, on a stand-alone basis, in their business areas and regions, under their own brands.
Being part of a large European Healthcare group facilitates delivery of an expanded product and service offering, accelerating growth and positioning Healthcare 21 for the next stage of its journey.
United Kingdom
Ireland