Buy Local brings £150K bed deal

PLYMOUTH businesses Squirrel Medical Ltd and Bakare Beds have together won a six-figure contract – and they attribute their success to The Herald's Buy Local campaign.

The campaign launch, in June, saw the two companies unite to provide a joint tender for a £150,000 contract with Peninsula Care Homes, which is based in Newton Abbot.

The deal includes the supply of new nursing beds and air mattresses for every resident of Bramble Down Nursing Home at Denbury, and an ongoing maintenance service covering a period of years.

The contract was secured following the introduction of Squirrel Medical's new product the Squirrel Diamond, officially launched at the Wounds International show in Harrogate last week.

The firm describes its product as the first low-profile replacement air mattress available to the global market. Its unique construction allows for medical benefits, such as numerous ventilated air cells which eliminate points of high pressure, thus massively reducing the risk of bed sores.

Its extra low profile also allows it to be placed on hospital beds without affecting the use of bed rails, a key issue for care homes and hospitals.

The firm says the system even helps patients while they sleep by stimulating the capillaries to reoxygenate blood and remove toxins.

Based in the Tamar Science Park, Squirrel Medical was established in September 2003 and received support from Simon Chamberlain through the park's ParkMentor scheme, who was then appointed as the firm's non-executive chairman.

Managing director Rick Baker said: "I was encouraged to attend the BuyLocal launch by Carolyn Bruce- Spencer and the team at Tamar Science Park, who have been extremely supportive. This was a great move for us and has led to a great contract and a number of other opportunities.

"The patent is pending on Squirrel Diamond, but once this has been secured we'll be launching it across the EU, as it will be the only mattress available which can fit all hospital beds," he said.

"It really is an exciting time for us and we're thrilled to be sharing this success with Bakare Beds."

The science park's chief executive Nigel Halford added: "Squirrel Medical embodies all that we strive to achieve at Tamar Science Park.

"Its links with science, technology and the medical sector are firmly in place and the team's dedication is second to none.

"I hope they see the success they deserve through the launch of this new and innovative product."

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