A family firm founded in Maids Moreton is looking forward to a successful future after celebrating its 50th anniversary.
From small beginnings in the Garbe family home in Maids Moreton House, Vitalograph has grown into an organisation with offices in the UK, Ireland, Germany and the US, with a distributor network spanning 88 countries.
The firm provides cardio-respiratory diagnostic devices, clinical trials and medical equipment servicing.
It has made significant contributions to the care of respiratory patients over the years, including the design and manufacture of several award-winning products.
Managing director Bernard Garbe said: “Generally, the market for medical devices has been quite depressed, as in other areas, but we have had some pretty spectacular successes in products and services.
“We’ve gone up from 45 to 75 people in the UK over this recession period, and we’re still short of people. Turnover has gone up, and we still continue to be a major employer in the area.”
He added: “I’m very proud of what we’ve done. Things are starting to look very good.
“Some markets are starting to pick up, for example, we’re starting to see some green shoots in the US.
“Some emerging markets are still proving very difficult, but some, like China and Brazil, are doing quite well. I’m very bullish about the future.”
He said internet services have become a strong area for Vitalograph, with the company being one of only a few in Europe to have a medically-certified data centre.
The 50th anniversary was marked with a black-tie celebration in the grounds of Maids Moreton House on Saturday, August 17.