About

A Brief History of Time

Elite Surgical Supplies (Part of Wepon Africa)

Elite Surgical was established in 1999 and became part of the Weapon Group in 2016. The group comprises suppliers of capital equipment, medical consumables, and orthopaedic implants, providing Elite Surgical with access to an extensive global supplier network and the latest advancements in orthopaedic technology and industry trends.

As a member of the group, Elite Surgical benefits from increased investment in research and development, enabling the company to continue delivering innovative, high-quality orthopaedic implants and associated instrumentation to the healthcare industry.

The company's heritage dates back to 1973, when it was originally founded with a clear focus on the design, development, and manufacture of orthopaedic implants and surgical instrumentation. Since its inception, the organisation's mission and vision have remained firmly centered on advancing orthopaedic solutions through innovation, quality, and manufacturing excellence.

Macmed Orthopaedics

The potential shown by the company's ventures in Europe, coupled with A.R.D.'s local manufacturing base, made A.R.D. an attractive purchase option for the Macmed Health Care Group. In April 1997, A.R.D. was acquired in full by Macmed, and renamed Macmed Orthopaedics. Macmed's financial backing enabled the new company to successfully upgrade its manufacturing protocols to comply with European and the United States of America quality requirements.

Significant product developments from this era include:

A follow-up on the long-term clinical results of the company's cross-linked polyethylene acetabular cups, and a strategic decision to exploit this technology for further use.
The launch of an updated articulating platform knee design, called the SS'98.
The refinement of DURUS® acrylic bone cement.

Elite Surgical Supplies was established in 1999. With three decades of Orthopaedic , an inventory of leading-edge products and an enviable network of business contacts, .

® Vertefix, Macrovac, Biolign and Durus are registered trademarks of Elite Surgical Supplies.

Arthroplasty Research and Development

Originally establised in 1973 as Theatre Developments by an orthopaedic surgeon (Dr. Charl Grobbelaar) and a mechanical engineer (John O'Toole), A. R.D. was established in March 1984, Arthroplasty Research & Development (A.R.D.) was to become a notable force in South African orthopaedics over the next decade. Early on, the company embarked upon an ambitious programme of expansion, increasing both its product range but also its client base.

Some notable developments from the A.R.D. period include:

The introduction of the rotating platform SS'92 knee. The current popularity of freely rotating tibial platforms vindicates the company's early, and bold, move away from the then popular fixed tibial articulation.
Crosslinking of UHMWPE.
The introduction of a modular femoral head/ stem design to replace the monoblock Total Hip,
a cemented/ cementless option Dual Hip, which in its early form already featured a proximal cement collar and right angled stem design.
work on a prototype acrylic bone cement, spear-headed under the project name DURUS.
the development of the Vertefix® Pedicle Screw System in conjunction with a leading Johannesburg spinal specialist.

In its on-going commitment to quality, the company is accredited with ISO 13485.

The mid 1990's represented an important marker for change, both for the company, and the country as a whole. With the nation's first democratically elected government instituted in April 1994, the new government shifted the focus of the nation's medical delivery systems from tertiary to primary healthcare. In a bid to offset its dependency on a contracting local market, A.R.D. also sought to establish a niche export market.