Medline and 3M Agree to Strategic Partnership in Electrosurgery

Medline to become sole U.S. supplier of 3M electrosurgical grounding pads and
accessories

MUNDELEIN, Ill., March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Medline Industries, Inc. and 3M
Health Care announce an exclusive license and supply agreement for 3M's
electrosurgical patient plates in the United States. Under this agreement,
Medline has acquired the exclusive license and sales rights in the United
States for 3M's electrosurgical patient plates and accessories. Included are
the 1100 series electrosurgical patient plates and the 9100 series universal
patient plates with proprietary safety ring. This product line will be sold
under the Medline brand.
3M brand patient plates are featured in national group purchasing
contracts and are currently sold through several distribution channels.
Medline will continue to support all sales channels and build upon the great
relationships 3M has established with health care customers to ensure optimal
supply costs and allow these customers to maintain their focus on patient
safety.
Commenting on the agreement, Andy Mills, Medline president said, "It is
one of those great marriages where our organization offers a strong nationwide
sales network and complete offering of complementary electrosurgical products.
3M's reputation is unprecedented and we are very happy to have the
responsibility to grow a high-quality product that has a proven performance
and key benefits."
Chuck Kummeth, vice president and general manager, 3M Medical Division
added, "By leveraging the strength of Medline's selling organization, we're
able to focus on continued innovation and manufacturing excellence. Together,
we can offer health care professionals a high quality, total solution in
electrosurgery. We look forward to working with Medline now and in the
future."
Also known as electrosurgical grounding pads or patient return electrodes,
patient plates are intended to safely return electrical current from patients
back to the generator during electrosurgical procedures. 3M has been
supplying electrosurgical patient plates to the health care industry for 28
years, and has brought innovative, proprietary technologies to the product
line. One example is the 3M green Safety Ring technology available on the
Universal Pad, which keeps the maximum temperature of the patient's skin at a
level similar to traditional pads that are up to 33 percent larger, while
still meeting the AAMI Maximum Safe Temperature Rise criteria (AAMI Standard
HF18:2001, Section 4.2.3.1).
About Medline Industries, Inc.
Medline Industries, Inc. is America's largest privately held national
manufacturer and distributor of health care supplies and services. Medline
manufactures and distributes more than 100,000 medical products, encompassing
medical-surgical items and one of the largest textile lines in the industry.
With six manufacturing facilities in North America and more than 25 joint
venture manufacturing plants worldwide, Medline sells in every state and in
more than 20 countries. Medline provides products and services to the entire
continuum of care, including hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery
centers, commercial laundries, home care dealers, home care agencies,
physician offices and other alternate care sites. For more information, visit
our Web site, http://www.medline.com.
About 3M Health Care
3M Health Care, one of 3M's six major business segments, provides
world-class innovative products and services to help health care professionals
improve the practice, delivery and outcome of patient care in medical, oral
care, drug delivery and health information markets.
About 3M
A recognized leader in research and development, 3M produces thousands of
innovative products for dozens of diverse markets. 3M's core strength is
applying its more than 40 distinct technology platforms -- often in
combination -- to a wide array of customer needs. With $24 billion in sales,
3M employs 75,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 60
countries. For more information, visit http://www.3M.com.
SOURCE Medline Industries, Inc.

Laura Kuhn of Medline Industries, Inc., +1-847-643-4178, lkuhn@medline.com