Smith & Nephew acquires Colombian distributor

LONDON, UK--(Marketwired - Mar 3, 2015) -

Smith & Nephew expands emerging markets business with acquisition of
Colombian distributor ECC

3 March 2015



Smith & Nephew plc (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN), the global medical technology
business, today announces the acquisition of EuroCiencia Colombia
('ECC'). ECC has been Smith & Nephew's sole distributor for orthopaedic
reconstruction, trauma and sports medicine products in Colombia since
2006.

Olivier Bohuon, Chief Executive Officer of Smith & Nephew, commented:"ECC provides us with an established, successful platform to accelerate
growth in Colombia, one of the largest economies in Latin America. With
increased resources and direct relationships with customers we are
better able to fulfil their needs, through our pioneering technologies
and enhanced service. We welcome our new employees to Smith & Nephew
and look forward to working together to support healthcare
professionals in improving the quality of life for their patients."

The acquisition of ECC is in-line with Smith & Nephew's strategic
priority to supplement its organic growth through acquisitions and
follows similar transactions in Brazil, Turkey and India. Smith &
Nephew has built a dynamic and sustainable emerging markets business
which delivered 17% revenue growth in 2014. It accounts for 15% of
Group revenue, up from 8% in 2010.

The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. ECC, which has a
workforce of approximately 150 people, was acquired from Miami-based
GrupoCiencia, a distributor of Smith & Nephew products in Latin America
since 1947.



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Enquiries:

Investors                 
Ingeborg Oie              +44 (0) 20 7401 7646
Smith & Nephew

Media
Charles Reynolds          +44 (0) 20 7401 7646
Smith & Nephew

Ben Atwell / Matthew Cole +44 (0) 20 3727 1000
FTI Strategic Consulting




About Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business dedicated to
helping healthcare professionals improve people's lives. With
leadership positions in Orthopaedic Reconstruction, Advanced Wound
Management, Sports Medicine and Trauma & Extremities, Smith & Nephew
has around 14,000 employees and a presence in more than 90 countries.
Annual sales in 2014 were more than $4.6 billion. Smith & Nephew is a
member of the FTSE100 (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN).

For more information about Smith & Nephew, please visit our corporate
website  www.smith-nephew.com , follow @SmithNephewplc on Twitter or
visit SmithNephewplc on Facebook.com

Forward-looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements that may or may
not prove accurate. For example, statements regarding expected revenue
growth and trading margins, market trends and our product pipeline are
forward-looking statements. Phrases such as "aim", "plan", "intend","anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target","consider" and similar expressions are generally intended to identify
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from what is expressed or
implied by the statements. For Smith & Nephew, these factors include:
economic and financial conditions in the markets we serve, especially
those affecting health care providers, payers and customers; price
levels for established and innovative medical devices; developments in
medical technology; regulatory approvals, reimbursement decisions or
other government actions; product defects or recalls; litigation
relating to patent or other claims; legal compliance risks and related
investigative, remedial or enforcement actions; strategic actions,
including acquisitions and dispositions, our success in performing due
diligence, valuing and integrating acquired businesses; disruption that
may result from transactions or other changes we make in our business
plans or organisation to adapt to market developments; and numerous
other matters that affect us or our markets, including those of a
political, economic, business, competitive or reputational nature.
Please refer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith & Nephew's most
recent annual report on Form 20-F, for a discussion of certain of these
factors. Any forward-looking statement is based on information
available to Smith & Nephew as of the date of the statement. All
written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith &
Nephew are qualified by this caution. Smith & Nephew does not undertake
any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to
reflect any change in circumstances or in Smith & Nephew's
expectations.

?Trademark of Smith & Nephew. Certain marks registered US Patent and
Trademark Office.







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