COMPANY HISTORYVector Scientific was established as a laboratory distribution company in Belfast in April 1990. The main customer base at this time was the hospital clinical laboratory market. Over the next five years the company grew and expanded into university and government laboratories with a more varied selection of products for their customers.
In 1995 Vector Scientific was acquired by United Drug PLC along with Novapath, a scientific company based in Dublin. These acquisitions meant that United Drug could significantly expand their business in the medical and scientific equipment sector in both the north and south of Ireland. Following this acquisition Vector Scientific moved to premises on the Ravenhill Road in Belfast to join Ulster Anaesthetics Limited, another United Drug company.
In 1999, due to continued growth, both companies moved to a new purpose built facility based in Moneyreagh on the outskirts of Belfast. The 20,000 sq.ft. office and warehouse building provided the scope for further expansion of the company. Later in the same year Primacare Services was acquired by United Drug and joined Vector Scientific and Ulster Anaesthetics in their new facilities.
Vector Scientific is today the largest independent supplier to the NHS laboratory market. They supply a wide range of quality products to the NHS, university, government and industrial laboratories, representing a wide range of global manufacturers.
COMPANY STRUCTUREVector Scientific is part of the Medical & Scientific Division of
United Drug PLC The Medical & Scientific Division in Northern Ireland operates as three focused companies serving the Medical, Laboratory and Nursing Home sectors.
Ulster Anaesthetics Limited is the medical arm of the business and as one of the oldest distribution companies in the province has been trading continuously since 1967, joining the United Drug Group in October 1987. Specialising in the ophthalmic area the company distributes a wide range of quality products with professional clinical and technical support.
Vector Scientific service the laboratory sector. Established in 1990, the company is now the largest independent supplier to the NHS in Northern Ireland. Vector Scientific supply a wide range of quality products to laboratories in the clinical, university, industrial and biotechnology sectors, representing global manufacturers. A dedicated team of engineers provides 24/7 service support for all the equipment they supply.
Primacare Services, operating since 1993 joined the United Drug Group in 1999 and is the leading supplier of equipment, consumables and service to the private nursing home sector in Northern Ireland. Primacare is at the forefront in the provision of Management Support Services to this sector.
The three companies operate from purpose built premises based outside Belfast. The building is 20,000 sq.ft. in size, containing 6,000 sq.ft. of office space and a modern warehouse which uses IT facilities including bar-coded stock location system to control stock movement, contributing to a best-in-class service. Although the companies serve different business sectors they operate synergistically in order to meet the needs and expectations of the local market.
MISSION STATEMENTThe Vector Scientific mission statement explains the company ethos:
“We provide complete support and partnership to all our customers and principals through providing a dedicated and professional service, assisting them to meet their own business and service objectives”
