News
May 2004
In May 2004, Tony Palmer & Michael Woods formed a partnership with Yvonne
Van der Horst to open a new venture in the Northern Territory which was to be
called McNeils Surgical NT, a separate company from the original McNeils Surgical
established in South Australia in the late 1940s.
History of McNeils Surgical, Adelaide, South Australia
McNeils Surgical, based in Adelaide, is 100% South Australian owned and operated.
Malcolm McNeil commenced business in a time when the allies were steadily bringing to
an end a world war that touched every Australian. He set up shop in the east end of
Rundle Street on the northern side, close to the School of Medicine where many students
came to buy books and diagnostic. The Royal Adelaide Hospital which was close by
purchased many surgical instruments in those times. Country hospitals were visited
regularly by Malcolm and business flourished.
Malcolm sold the business in the early sixties to Arthur Searcy but continued to work there
until he passed away in 1969. By this time McNeils had grown substantially and was a
leading
supplier to medical practices and hospitals throughout South Australia.
Michael Woods and Tony Palmer joined the Company in the early seventies; the Company
had
again passed hands and was now owned by G. Chem Co-operative, a pharmacy
wholesaler with
little knowledge of the medical industry. Michael and Tony saw a great
opportunity for the
future and so in 1975 purchased the business from G. Chem
Co-operative.
Today McNeils are celebrating a quarter of a century of growth and are situated in a
modern
showroom facility at 29-31 Magill Road, Stepney. Their customers now encompass
medical practices,
specialists, public and private hospitals and nursing homes as well as the
general public, who can
purchase direct many health care products. A South Australian
success story that has served and
has had the support of the South Australian industry for
over fifty years.
