14th Aug 2007 11:00
Smith & Nephew Plc14 August 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sidonie Myers Head of Communication Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management +44 (0)1482 673246 [email protected] Smith & Nephew announces relocation of Florida based manufacturing Hull, ENGLAND and Largo, FL, 14 August, 2007 - Smith & Nephew's (LSE: SN; NYSE:SNN) Advanced Wound Management Division announces that, following a full reviewof the cost effectiveness of its manufacturing facilities, it will be relocatingor outsourcing the manufacturing currently based in Largo Florida. Thisrelocation project will take place over the next 18 to 24 months and it isexpected that the manufacturing in Largo will cease during 2009. Smith & Nephew strategy for the Advanced Wound Management business has three keycomponents; an increased focus on fast growing segments of the woundcare market,increasing sales efforts in the US and reducing costs to increase thecompetitiveness of the business. Smith & Nephew is purchasing land to provide manufacturing capacity in China andplans for construction of a facility are underway. ALLEVYN* Adhesive dressings,part of Smith & Nephew's leading exudate management product range, will beproduced in China. The production of ALLEVYN products in Hull will continue.Other Smith & Nephew products currently manufactured in Largo will beoutsourced. About Us Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management, with headquarters in the UnitedKingdom, employs more than 3,100 people around the world. The organisation hasmanufacturing centres in the United Kingdom and Largo, FL. Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business, specialising inOrthopaedic Reconstruction, Orthopaedic Trauma and Clinical Therapies, Endoscopyand Advanced Wound Management products. Smith & Nephew is a global leader inarthroscopy and advanced wound management and is one of the leading globalorthopaedics companies. Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people's lives. The Companyprides itself on the strength of its relationships with its surgeons andprofessional healthcare customers, with whom its name is synonymous with highstandards of performance, innovation and trust. The Company has 9,600 employeesand operates in 31 countries around the world. Annual sales in 2006 were nearly$2.8 billion. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within themeaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Inparticular, statements regarding expected revenue growth and trading marginsdiscussed under "Outlook" are forward-looking statements as are discussions ofour product pipeline. These statements, as well as the phrases "aim", "plan","intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect","target", "consider" and similar expressions, are generally intended to identifyforward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known andunknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors (including, but notlimited to, the outcome of litigation, claims and regulatory approvals) thatcould cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Smith & Nephew,or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performanceor achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Pleaserefer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securitiesand Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, asamended, including Smith & Nephew's most recent annual report on Form 20F, for adiscussion of certain of these factors. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on informationavailable to Smith & Nephew as of the date hereof. All written or oralforward-looking statements attributable to Smith & Nephew or any person actingon behalf of Smith & Nephew are expressly qualified in their entirety by theforegoing. Smith & Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or reviseany forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Smith &Nephew's expectation with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions orcircumstances on which any such statement is based. * Trademark of Smith & Nephew. Certain marks registered US Patent and TrademarkOffice. ### This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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