Linda E. Swayne, PhD Belk College of Business, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Colin Bain, President and CEO, LINET Americas LINET was the leading manufacturer of ICU (intensive care...

Linda E. Swayne, PhD

Belk College of Business, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Colin Bain, President and CEO, LINET Americas

LINET was the leading manufacturer of ICU (intensive care unit) beds in Europe. In 2010 LINET Americas began competing with the two largest U.S. bed manufacturers, Hill-Rom and Stryker, by marketing to smaller hospitals based on lower prices and better safety features for caregivers. Hill-Rom and Stryker noticed and head-to-head competition began. Hill-Rom lowered its prices and extended its warranty to match two of LINET Americas’ competitive advantages; however, the innovative design was much harder to match. President and CEO Colin Bain needed to determine how he could continue to grow LINET Americas, especially when the company was blocked out of the largest group purchasing organization (GPO) that was offering Hill-Rom or Stryker ICU beds.