Because Each Gram is Important

Halberstadt Company builds Medical Recumbencies That Can Save Lives

People in need of care die of dehydration, accident victims receive extremely potent anesthesia. A demented person leaves the bed at night, does not find the way back, falls, their body temperature drops, just a few cases that can be avoided in the future. Thanks to a small company in Halberstadt that builds extra special recumbencies.

The idea: Beds with inserted scale and digital technology that transmit data automatically. Eckhard Bangemann, Constructor, Designer and Founder of the company SN.B developed such recumbency systems. And in 74 variations that adapt to each custodial or medical need. "The recumbencies measure at 50 gram exactly", explains Bangemann - and will amaze. Whether a lighter or a mobile phone the sensors register the tiny weight change in each point of the recumbency."Death by dehydration can no longer be covered up when the recumbency automatically measures how much the person in need of care eats and drinks, excretes or sweats. It transmits the data to any terminal, the computer of residence management, to the mobile phone of the physician or relatives."That lowers not only the risk of care errors and data manipulations, but also staff documentation expenditure.

In the trauma surgery there is no more estimating of weight and thus the quantity of the anesthesia. In nursing homes the beds give off a signal if patients do not return after a fixed period of time. Though so revolutionary the technology, so complicated is the way to realization.

Four recumbencies exist in the small production facility in Halberstadt. Orders for hundreds of them are waiting in Bangemann's post office box. Hospitals in all of Germany, Switzerland and Austria show great interest, but Bangemann lifts his hands: "We must grow slowly and salubrious, otherwise the shop will blow up in our faces." SN.B started in the beginning of the year and since then the entrepreneur invites offers for parts, calculates prices and pre-finances production. Racks, sensors and upholstery are produced in several cities surrounding Halberstadt, all "Made in Germany", which the native Braunschweiger appreciates.

Without well-financed investors no great bounds are possible. Therefore Bangemann and Tanja Fröhlich (42), his daughter & managing director of the enterprise, are searching for cooperation partners who will hop on board the production or take over a part of sales. As self-employed the 65-year old cannot pay millions up front for production of parts. "That is to say: Build recumbencies, sell and with the money build anew."

The fact that someone rains on his parade and inundates the market with such high performance recumbencies doesn't scare Bangemann. "I have secured five patents with my partner. Only we may build recumbencies with an inserted scale." Both men, who have been managing the engineering office of Bangemann & Hirschfeld in Wolfenbüttel since 1981, have invested €1.7 million in research and development of the recumbencies, built, sold and tested prototypes for so many years. As a full-line distributor SN.B can now build care beds, transport recumbencies, operation tables for veterinary medicine or simple recumbencies for medical practices. Thanks to a special construction the products are highly durable, a characteristic that is urgently needed in more and more facilities. "Very heavy patients can be measured and supervised now accurately, the dosages for medicines are no longer appraisals."

Bangemann has also placed a lot of money into a professional market analysis, but the arguments for a need of SN.B recumbencies are not a secret: The number of people in need of care, that are overweight or suffer from dementia is rising rapidly. The medical technology market has exploded. For years Halberstadt has been attracting pertinent companies. Here Bangemann has found a network and here there are funding possibilities for the entrepreneur. "I need partners now. Then we can also pick up a quicker pace." SN.B alone will be able to build approximately 150 recumbencies this year and 50 operation tables. Allies turning up could exceed this number many times over. An employee, Bangemann estimates, creates four recumbencies per day. Literally over night a high-efficient production line could be created out of one of the vacant halls in Halberstadt.

Author: Kathrin Wöhler

Contact:
Eckhard Bangmann
Westerhäuser Strasse 82
 38820 Halberstadt Germany
 Tel. +49 170/2425087
 E-mail: e.bangemann-snb-hte.ignore@t-online.de