Jan 14 2011
Viking Systems, Inc. (OTCBB:VKNG) said that the launch of its new 3DHD visualization system is proceeding as planned and that initial market reaction has been very positive.
The Company reported that it shipped 21 3D systems in the fourth quarter of 2010. These shipments included eleven distributor 3DHD demonstration systems, four 3DHD customer systems and six previous generation 3Di customer systems. The Company noted that one of the four customer 3DHD systems shipped was a no-charge unit provided to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO to support clinical development activities performed by Viking's Medical Advisor, Gerald Andriole, MD.
Viking indicated that it has production plans for 31 3DHD units in the first quarter of 2011 and believes that it will ship most, if not all, of the planned production during that quarter. At least half of the planned shipments in the first quarter are likely to be distributor demonstration units, which should strengthen the ability of the Company's distributors to close sales of the Company's 3DHD systems later in the year. The demonstration systems are not intended for immediate resale and are priced at a substantial discount to the distributors' agreed upon regular purchase price for resalable systems. As part of the Company's distribution strategy it requires distributors to demonstrate a financial commitment by purchasing one or more demonstration systems, depending, among other considerations, upon the size of the distributor's territory.
Jed Kennedy, President and CEO of Viking Systems commented, "While it is still early in the launch phase, now that we have delivered initial demonstration units our distributors are busy scheduling clinical demonstrations and presenting proposals to hospital administrators." Kennedy went on to say, "It is always difficult to predict the rate of adoption that any new technology will have in the early days, but the feedback so far from clinicians is that our 3DHD Vision System provides superior visualization when compared with current state-of-the-art 2D systems. Now we must execute our sales plan."
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