Philips to expand its cardiac monitoring portfolio with Dixtal acquisition. Source: Philips Healthcare

Royal Philips Electronics has reached an agreement to acquire the Brazilian-based Dixtal Biomédica e Tecnologia, a manufacturer of in-hospital patient monitoring, anesthesia, ventilation equipment and electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment for vital sign measurements.

Dixtal will become part of Philips Healthcare’s Patient Monitoring business. Philips said it expects Dixtal’s financial results to be consolidated in this business as of the third quarter of 2008.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Daurio Speranzini Júnior, senior vice president of Philips Healthcare Latin America, said: “Emerging markets represent a real opportunity for us to keep growing our healthcare business at Philips. If you just take Latin America, our addressable healthcare market in 2007 was estimated to be valued at approximately €1.2 billion, and growing at twice the rate of developed markets. Acquiring Dixtal will help us further tap into that growth.”

Philips also said the purchase will enhance its global medical equipment market for critical care.

Founded in 1978, Dixtal is a privately held healthcare company headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil. Dixtal employs approximately 300 people, of which 60 work in research and development.