Merivaara is now part of the Finnish Lojer Group

Lojer’s product range expands with operating room systems and medical lights

Lojer Oy, a hospital furniture manufacturer from Sastamala in Finland, will acquire the entire share capital of Merivaara Oy, a health technology company located in Lahti Finland. In the acquisition, Lojer will transfer the entire Merivaara operating room products business, i.e. operating tables, surgical lights, OR integration and AV systems and pendants. Lojer acquired Merivaara’s hospital bed business in 2019.

In the transaction, Lojer acquires the entire share capital of Reimari Holding Oy, which owns Merivaara Oy. The sellers are the fund of Intera Partners, the main owner of Reimari Holding Oy, and small shareholders. 

“The transaction is strategically important for Lojer. We will have new product groups in our portfolio, such as surgical lights, OR integration systems and pendants. Merivaara has a large portfolio of patents and trademarks, and together we can invest even more heavily in product development. The deal will also increase our international business and open up new export markets to countries such as England, Germany and the USA. The goal is to be an even more interesting partner for both hospitals and distributors of health technology products,” says Ville Laine, CEO of Lojer.

The turnover of the acquired business is approximately EUR 15 million, which brings the Lojer Group’s net sales to nearly EUR 60 million. Merivaara Oy will become a subsidiary of the Lojer Group, and all of Merivaara’s approximately 60 employees in Finland, Sweden, and UK will continue to be employed by Merivaara. Production will continue in Lahti, and cooperation with customers and partners will continue as before.

“Merivaara combines long traditions as an equipment supplier for Finnish healthcare with internationally recognised technological know-how. During Intera’s ownership, the company has developed into a state-of-the-art expert in operating room products and solutions, with a particular focus on user orientation. Merivaara’s strong product portfolio and investments in the distribution network have helped the company grow in the international market. With Lojer, the prerequisites for continued international growth are excellent,” says Christoffer Zilliacus, partner at Intera Partners.

Continuation of the acquisition of the hospital bed business

The transaction is a natural continuation of the acquisition in May 2019, in which Lojer acquired Merivaara’s hospital bed business. At the time, the deal included Merivaara’s delivery beds, baby crib trolleys, hospital beds and examination tables.

“We have the potential for significant synergy benefits, and there are hardly any production overlaps, for example. Lojer has invested significantly in domestic production and in its own partial manufacturing. In the future, we will also have the opportunity to manufacture accessories and other components for Merivaara’s operating tables,” says Ville Laine.

“We will continue in operating room products under the Merivaara brand, as the 120-year-old Merivaara brand is well known and respected worldwide.

The operating room products will become a new business area for Lojer. Other areas include Hospital&Nursing, Physical Therapy Equipment and Medical Service.

The Lojer Group is the largest manufacturer of hospital and care furniture in the Nordic countries and a provider of life cycle services. Together with its subsidiaries, Lojer forms the leading retailer of physiotherapy equipment and supplies in the Nordic countries. The company manufactures hospital beds, operating, examination, and treatment tables at its factories in Sastamala, Hollola and Kempele in Finland. Founded in 1919, the company employs approximately 270 people after the acquisition and is the most significant domestic employer in the industry. Net sales excluding the impact of the acquisition are over EUR 43 million and after the transaction nearly EUR 60 million. Exports account for about 65 per cent of Lojer’s total production and about 95 per cent of operating tables. The Group consists of Lojer Oy and sales companies in Sweden and Norway.

Merivaara Group is a forerunner in intuitive health technology and industrial design and focuses especially on operating room solutions. Long-term customer relationships date back to 1901, when the company began manufacturing iron hospital beds, significantly improving hospital hygiene. Today, the company’s operating tables, surgical lights, OR integration and AV systems, and services improve patient safety and increase the quality and efficiency of surgical operations in the world’s leading hospitals. Merivaara’s head office, manufacturing, and product development are located in Finland in the city of Lahti, and the company has its own international sales network and subsidiaries in Sweden and UK. The company operates in more than 120 countries and employs approximately 60 people. In 2021, net sales were approximately EUR 15 million.