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Five hospital sites in one valley, with Swiss and German suppliers competing for them. MediGear partners in Vorarlberg win on service.
Vorarlberg is the westernmost state, cut off from the rest of Austria by the Arlberg and oriented economically toward Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein. The Land hospital company runs five sites in the Rhine valley, the textile and precision engineering industry is unusually dense for the population, and residents cross into Switzerland and Germany for specialist care as readily as they travel to Innsbruck.
MediGear is a UK-registered medical equipment distributor and B2B marketplace working with verified manufacturers and healthcare buyers in more than 80 countries. Its partner program opens that catalogue to Vorarlberg businesses selling into the Land hospital company and its five sites in the Rhine valley, private clinics serving the cross-border population, the occupational health services attached to precision engineering firms, and the rehabilitation facilities in the mountain valleys.
Three program tracks are open to Vorarlberg businesses. Different business models, the same catalogue behind them — the right one depends on how much of the transaction you want to own.
Agents introduce qualified hospitals, clinics, distributors and procurement teams to MediGear. The role focuses on generating opportunities and connecting buyers with the team; MediGear handles quotations, supply, documentation and fulfilment. Earnings are commission-based on confirmed sales; no purchasing or inventory is required, and sales materials and product support are provided. It suits representatives who understand a state that faces west rather than east and buys accordingly.
Distributors represent MediGear in an agreed country, region or territory and actively develop the local market — the Rhine valley and Bregenz, the Bregenzerwald and mountain valleys, or the state as a single coverage area. Products are purchased at distributor level for onward supply, and territorial rights may be exclusive or non-exclusive. Market development, commercial support, and regulatory and import coordination are included.
Resellers purchase at wholesale and resell independently through an existing medical business, online store, sales network or customer base. Order quantities are flexible, and you sell on your own terms to your own customers. Resellers operate independently without territorial or official distribution rights, so there is no territorial commitment and no market development obligation.
Companies on the Austrian commercial register with an established healthcare route are eligible to apply. Applications commonly come from:
Equipment distributors and importers already supplying public and private hospitals
Independent sales agents with contacts in theatre, imaging, pathology or dental
Online medical supply retailers and e-commerce operators
Biomedical engineering firms adding equipment sales to service contracts
Practice fit-out, day surgery and healthcare project companies
Precision engineering occupational health and rehabilitation resellers
Cross-border literacy is the qualification. An agency that understands how Swiss and German suppliers compete here judges and positions realistically.
Competitive margins. Partner-level commercial terms apply across the catalogue, with performance recognised for partners who hit agreed targets.
Full product catalogue. Certified equipment across diagnostics, surgical and therapeutic, lab and pathology, sterilisation, hospital furniture, dental, ENT and ophthalmic, rehabilitation, orthopaedic, cardiology, gastroenterology, neonatal, dermatology, veterinary and spare parts.
Sourcing and quotation support. Send an enquiry and the team sources the product, negotiates with the manufacturer and returns a documented quotation — including items outside the current catalogue.
Direct partnerships team. Order queries, supplier negotiations, logistics coordination, and after-sales issues go straight to the team by email, so you can focus on selling rather than chasing suppliers.
Marketing support. Co-branded brochures, digital assets, product imagery and joint campaigns you can put in front of Australian buyers.
Regulatory support. Country-specific import guidance, certification documentation and connections to local regulatory consultants for market entry questions.
The Swiss border is twenty minutes away, and the regulatory position on the other side of it is different. In Vorarlberg, Regulation (EU) 2017/745 applies, and the Federal Office for Safety in Health Care supervises, registers and monitors devices nationally.
The Land hospital company contracts for all five public sites together, and because the state is compact, a supplier accepted there covers the entire public network with one relationship. Importer and distributor obligations and the notified body route are published in the European medical devices framework, and they apply here in full. German-language instructions are expected for devices reaching a user, which is one of several points where the Austrian and Swiss positions part company.
Customs deserves particular attention here. Goods arriving from Switzerland cross a customs border and are declared under Union Customs Code procedures to the Federal Ministry of Finance, while German consignments move on commercial paperwork alone. MediGear is not the economic operator of record for partner products and does not give regulatory advice.
Apply online. Complete the partner application form and tell us about your market, your experience and which track interests you.
Discovery call. The partnerships team reviews your application and arranges a call to discuss goals, coverage and fit.
Agreement and onboarding. Sign the partner agreement and complete onboarding, including commercial terms, product training and marketing assets.
Start earning. Begin selling, distributing, or referring while MediGear coordinates manufacturing, documentation, and freight.
Compact network is the first advantage. Five sites under one operator in a single valley means a partner can serve the whole public system properly from one base.
Second is precision industry. Engineering and textile firms here run occupational health provision and expect the technical standards they apply to their own products.
Third is cross-border competition. Swiss and German suppliers are active in this market, which rewards a partner who competes on service and availability rather than on catalogue alone. Competing against Swiss and German suppliers also sharpens the offer, because a partner who wins here on availability and response has an argument that travels to any other market. Being close to Liechtenstein and the Swiss border also brings occupational health work from employers whose staff live on one side and work on the other.
This page is published for general business and information purposes and is not an offer of partnership. MediGear reviews all applications, and approval is not guaranteed. Any partnership that proceeds is governed by the written terms agreed between MediGear and the partner. Product availability, category coverage, territory arrangements, commercial terms and any commission or margin structure vary by application and may change. The regulatory information here is general information about the Vorarlberg framework and is not legal, regulatory or professional advice. Requirements arising under Regulation (EU) 2017/745 and the national provisions supervised by the Federal Office for Safety in Health Care depend on classification and intended purpose, and the Swiss framework across the border is a separate position entirely. Partner businesses remain responsible for confirming what applies to their own products, and should obtain qualified regulatory, customs or legal advice where required.
Apply with your business details, the districts you cover and the track that interests you. The MediGear partnerships team reviews every application and will come back to you to discuss it.
Companies on the Austrian commercial register with an established healthcare route are eligible to apply: equipment distributors and importers, independent sales agents, online medical supply retailers, biomedical engineering firms, practice fit-out companies, and precision engineering occupational health or rehabilitation resellers. Speciality experience carries more weight than company size.
Three. Sales agents introduce hospitals, clinics, distributors and procurement teams and earn commission on confirmed sales without holding stock. Authorised distributors represent MediGear in an agreed territory, purchase at distributor level and develop the local market. Resellers buy at wholesale and resell independently through a business they already run, without territorial rights or commitments.
No. Joining is free for Vorarlberg businesses. There are no registration charges, subscriptions or upfront payments required to become an agent, distributor or reseller. Distributors and resellers purchase the products they sell, and partners cover their own trading costs, such as local delivery, storage, and any marketing they run beyond the assets MediGear provides.
Agents earn commission on confirmed sales rather than a retainer. The rate depends on the product category, the order value and the volume you bring, and is confirmed in writing before you begin introducing buyers. Because agents hold no stock and carry no inventory risk, earnings follow completed orders.
Exclusive territorial rights are available to qualified distributors who can demonstrate market reach, financial capability, and alignment with MediGear standards, and are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Non-exclusive distribution is also offered and is more common for partners entering a new product category. Because the state is compact, Vorarlberg territory is usually the whole state, defined by product group.
Partners receive onboarding, product knowledge materials, regulatory guidance for their market, sales tools and co-branded marketing assets. The partnerships team handles order queries, supplier negotiations and logistics coordination, including certification and customs documentation for inbound consignments.
Not for equipment supplied in Vorarlberg, which falls under Regulation (EU) 2017/745 like the rest of Austria. Switzerland sits outside that framework and operates its own ordinance, so a partner who also sells across the border should treat the two as separate positions rather than assuming one covers both.
It raises the standard rather than lowering the terms. Swiss and German suppliers are close enough to serve this market directly, so an Austrian partner competes on availability, service response and knowing the Land hospital company properly. Those are the grounds on which the business here is actually won. Partners are also expected to treat Austria and Switzerland as separate regulatory positions, since the Swiss framework sits outside Regulation (EU) 2017/745 entirely. Any cross-border activity is declared at application, since it affects both licensing and the territory offered to other partners.