Date: May 25, 1996
For Release: Immediately
Contact: Roseanne Hirsch, President and CEO, 206/806-2649
Aesthetic laser market looks good to Luxar’s CEO
Success of NovaPulse laser system points to company’s growth, maturity
THE PHOTO SHOOT WAS AN HOUR BEHIND SCHEDULE when Roseanne Hirsch, 48-year-old CEO of Luxar Corporation, poked her head out the door to check on the photographer.
“You know, this was supposed to happen an hour ago,” she said with a serious expression. “By now, I’ve passed my peak of attractiveness.”
Hirsch’s dry wit and deadpan delivery are the perfect complements to her tough and serious management style.
The release of Luxar’s NovaScan™ handpiece is the zenith of Hirsch’s no-nonsense management approach for the company she heads up. In her first year at the helm, Luxar’s sales have doubled, with $27 million in revenues projected before the next fiscal year begins.
“We’re the leading supplier of carbon dioxide lasers in the United States today,” she says, explaining the company’s phenomenal growth. “We have the strongest distribution system and are most conscientious about customer service.”
An important element of that service is Luxar’s R&D philosophy to resist planned obsolescence. When Luxar engineers streamlined their laser systems in 1995, their directive was to upgrade the last version of systems already in the field, allowing existing clients to have the latest in technology without paying to rebuild their systems from the ground up.
In the same spirit, the NovaScan handpiece, developed exclusively for Luxar’s trademarked Cosmetic Skin Resurfacing™ procedures, was designed to be used with the existing NovaPulse laser system, with a minimal upgrade required.
Hirsch points out that the ability to upgrade hardware that will perform aesthetic procedures is the doctor’s first step to dealing with the managed care dilemma.
“Cosmetic procedures are a cash business,” she says. “Doctors who are already using some combination of the NovaPulse™ system can venture into this market for a relatively small investment.”
Part of Luxar’s strategy that has really contributed to the company’s phenomenal growth is the versatility of the handpieces, culminating in the release of the NovaScan.
Hirsch developed her strategies and philosophies after a noteworthy career in the medical device industry, which included founding her own plastics injection molding business, as well as in stints at Medtronic, Inc., Phasecom and the I-Flow Corporation.
Under Hirsch’s guidance, the Luxar group will continue to develop products designed for aesthetic procedures, including hair removal and vein reduction. Simultaneously, engineers are looking at developing systems for medical imaging, as well as “cosmeceuticals,” products aimed at pre- and post-operative aesthetic surgery patients.
The glow of success surrounds everyone who’s a part of Luxar, owing in no small part to Hirsch’s management and vision. The fact that a recent FDA audit of the manufacturing facility resulted in a perfect review affirms that the she has the company on the right track.
The company’s immediate next goal is a major expansion into the European Community’s aesthetics market.
With Roseanne Hirsch at the helm, medicine can be assured of one thing: Luxar will continue to level the playing field by building powerful, high-quality, affordable surgical lasers for every doctor.
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