Orion Medical Supplies

What Orion Medical Supplies does

Orion Medical Supplies Ltd is a UK-based specialist medical device manufacturer and distributor focused on needle exchange and harm reduction products. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Bicester, Oxfordshire, the company serves NHS partners, Public Health teams, pharmacies, and charitable organisations including We Are With You. Its proprietary product portfolio centers on the Acucan needle range, Acufine and Acuject Ultra Low Dead Space (ULDS) syringes manufactured to ISO 13485 and ISO 7886-1:2018 standards, and the SAFELOC™ and SAFELOC NX sharps containers certified to BS EN ISO 23907 and UN 3291. The company also distributes naloxone products (Prenoxad, Nyxoid), drug testing strips for emerging substances, and a growing range of harm reduction accessories including sterile spoons with filters, safer smoking equipment, and foil.

The business operates a dedicated packing facility and warehouse at its Bicester headquarters, offering bespoke pharmacy pack configuration and next-day UK delivery. Revenue is generated through B2B product sales to registered organisations (approved within 48 hours), a fully managed NX Waste Collection service as an upper-tier waste broker registered with the UK Environmental Agency, and complementary free training via the Training Academy platform. In 2025, Orion acquired Vernacare's Harm Reduction business (Frontier NX), entering an exclusive supply partnership for sharps containers and consolidating its position as a leading UK specialist in the harm reduction market.

The company employs 11-50 staff and operates exclusively within the United Kingdom. Its go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct relationships with public health commissioners, NHS procurement channels, pharmacy networks, and harm reduction charities. Product pricing is not publicly disclosed and requires account registration. Delivery charges apply (£6.50 standard, £8.00 for Forth Valley) with next-day fulfilment for orders placed before 1pm.

Name

Orion Medical Supplies

Legal name

Orion Medical Supplies Ltd

Website

https://orionmedical.co.uk/

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Orion Medical Supplies is a UK-based specialist medical device manufacturer and distributor serving NHS, pharmacies, Public Health teams, and charities with proprietary harm reduction products including Ultra Low Dead Space syringes, SAFELOC sharps containers, and naloxone supplies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Harm Reduction Medical Devices

NAICS

Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Prefilled Syringes & Safety Syringes (HLAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sharps Safety, Needlestick Prevention & Disposal (Safety Devices, Sharps Containers) (HLAHANAH)

Keywords

• Harm reduction supplies
• Needle exchange equipment
• Medical syringes manufacturing
• Sharps disposal containers
• Clinical waste management

Headquarters

HQ city

Bicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Medical Supplies Sales: Sale of needle exchange paraphernalia, syringes, needles, sharps containers, naloxone products, and related harm reduction supplies to registered customers including pharmacies, NHS, and charitable organisations. Products sold in bulk quantities (boxes, cartons) with prices visible after login registration.
2. Waste Collection Services: Fully managed waste collection service handling delivery, collection and disposal of needle exchange related waste including packs, paraphernalia and clinical waste containers.
3. Training Services: Online training academy providing free education and certification for harm reduction and needle exchange provision. Includes Naloxone training with exam and certificate of completion (85% pass rate required).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Orion Medical Supplies manufactures and distributes specialised needle exchange and harm reduction products including ultra-low dead space syringes (Acufine, Acuject), hypodermic needles (Acucan), SAFELOC sharps containers, naloxone products, and pharmacy packs. The company also provides fully managed clinical waste collection services and an online Training Academy for harm reduction certification. Products are manufactured to ISO 13485 and ISO 7886-1:2018 standards.

Product overview

Orion Medical Supplies is a specialist provider of products and services for Needle Exchange and Harm Reduction Schemes in the UK. The company operates a platform of interconnected core medical supply products supplemented by added-value services. The core product portfolio centers on the Acucan hypodermic needle range and Acufine/Acuject ultra low dead space syringe ranges (manufactured to ISO 13485 standards), complemented by SAFELOC sharps containers and NX containers for safe disposal. The company offers comprehensive naloxone products (Prenoxad Injection, Nyxoid nasal spray, and 1.26mg Nasal Naloxone Pebble) for emergency opioid overdose reversal. Additional product categories include drug testing strips (Nitazene, Xylazine, Fentanyl), Standard and Single pharmacy packs, dispensing machines, safer smoking equipment, sexual health products, and pharmaceutical supplies (acidifiers, foil, water for injection, swabs/wipes). The company also distributes GlucoRx CarePoint pen needles and provides managed NX waste collection services and an online Training Academy for harm reduction education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Acucan: Brand of hypodermic needles manufactured to ISO 13485 standard, available in various gauges (18G-30G) for different injection requirements
• Acufine
• Acuject
• Frontier NX
• SAFELOC
• Training Academy
• NX Waste Collection

Quantifiable outcome

• Less blood retention in syringes means reduced viral load and decreased Hepatitis C survival rates
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• VernacarecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOrion acquired Vernacare's Harm Reduction business, known as Frontier NX. As part of the agreement, Orion entered into an exclusive partnership with Vernacare, whereby Orion will source all sharp containers from Vernacare. This exclusive supply arrangement ensures customers benefit from industry-leading, high-quality sharps containment solutions alongside Orion's specialist harm reduction expertise.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Becton Dickinson (BD): Global medical device incumbent manufacturing safety-engineered syringes, hypodermic needles, and sharps disposal products used widely in NHS and harm reduction settings. Competes in the same product categories as Orion's Acufine, Acuject, and SAFELOC ranges, but at vastly greater scale and without Orion's UK harm reduction specialism.
• Terumo: Global manufacturer of hypodermic syringes and injection devices serving hospitals, pharmacies, and public health programmes. Direct product overlap with Orion's Acucan, Acufine, and Acuject syringe ranges, but operating as a diversified medical device multinational rather than a UK harm reduction specialist.
• B. Braun Medical: Major medical device and pharmaceutical company producing syringes, needles, sharps containers, and infusion products supplied to NHS trusts and pharmacies. Comparable product categories to Orion's syringe and sharps lines, with much broader portfolio and European footprint.
• Henry Schein: Global distributor of medical, dental, and pharmacy supplies, including needles, syringes, and sharps disposal products sourced from multiple manufacturers. Competes for NHS and community pharmacy spend against Orion via catalogue distribution, though without harm reduction specialism.
• Nipro Medical: Global medical device manufacturer with a significant hypodermic syringe and injection device business serving hospitals and diabetes care. Overlaps with Orion's Acufine/Acucan syringe ranges and supplies to NHS supply chains via framework agreements.

Others

• Vernacare: Original owner of the Frontier NX harm reduction business acquired by Orion in 2025, and now Orion's exclusive supplier of sharps containers. Historically competed in the same UK harm reduction space and remains commercially entangled as a strategic OEM partner.

Direct peers

• Retractable Technologies: US-listed manufacturer of safety syringes and needle devices designed to prevent needlestick injuries and reduce blood-borne pathogen transmission. Direct product overlap with Orion's ULDS and safety-engineered syringe portfolio.
• Owen Mumford: UK-based medical device manufacturer specialising in injection devices, including safety syringes and needle protection systems sold globally. Comparable to Orion's Acufine fixed-needle safety syringe line and shares UK manufacturing heritage and NHS supply relationships.
• Exchange Supplies: UK-based social enterprise and the most direct specialist competitor in harm reduction supplies, offering needles, syringes, foil, and paraphernalia to needle exchange programmes and pharmacies. Closely comparable to Orion's product mix, customer base, and training/advocacy ethos.

Emerging players

• Sol-Millennium Medical: Medical device company focused on safety syringes, needles, and sharps injury prevention products distributed through pharmacy and public health channels internationally. Comparable to Orion's harm reduction and sharps container range, though with broader commodity safety-engineered focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/orionmsltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/orionmedicalsuppliesltd

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Orion Medical Supplies