A contract manufacturer’s strategy should address optimization of its global footprint and network of facilities in strategic locations. A good manufacturing strategy includes initiatives that drive maturity by the development of both capabilities and capacities to ensure delivering the highest quality products on time, with efficient lead times, and in a safe environment. Establishing an effective, integrated supply chain strategy facilitates a sustainable efficient supply of products and creates solution-driven opportunities for customers.

During the recent outbreak of Covid-19, most medical device manufacturing companies faced great challenges in the supply chain. The situation brought forth supply chain considerations that a Medical Device Company needs to evaluate before hiring a contract manufacturer.

Let’s check out the must-have supply chain capabilities in the contract manufacturer-

Scalability

The scalability is a critical supply chain capability that a medical device contract manufacturer must possess. In the uncertain and unpredictable times, medical device OEMs and suppliers may need to move to high-scale manufacturing and achieve greater time to market to gain a competitive edge in the market. Unless they have a contract manufacturing partner capable of doing so, the OEMs will suffer. 

Look for end-to-end manufacturing expertise, from designing & prototyping to raw materials, production and packaging. When the contract manufacturer has end-to-end in-house capabilities, they can seamlessly move to high-value production at a rapid pace without compromises on the quality front. Further, evaluate their manufacturing expertise, infrastructure and technological capabilities, all of which directly impact scalability. 

Design and Prototyping

Design and rapid prototyping have the potential to revolutionize the supply chain for good. It enables medical device companies, be it a global medical device OEM or a small startup with a groundbreaking idea, to reach the market faster than ever before. How? 

While design capabilities enable contract manufacturers to convert path-breaking ideas into prototypes and products, rapid prototyping infuses unmatched flexibility into the manufacturing process, enabling the contract manufacturer to make unprecedented changes swiftly to the medical devices while accomodating customizations requested by the OEM across the manufacturing process. So, the client can respond to all and any demand shifts with marketable products quickly. 

Further, the design and rapid prototyping capabilities of the contract manufacturer are not confined to the surgical implants and instruments alone. In-house design and prototyping capabilities enables them to develop packaging variations to ensure quick and efficient transportation. It helps them to identify and remediate packaging and transportation issues before they turn catastrophic, thus, minimizing risks. This is why design and prototyping are crucial supply chain capabilities that a medical device contract manufacturer must have.

Global logistic Network

A medical device contract manufacturer must have a global logistic network to ensure timely delivery at affordable costs. Even in uncertain times or global healthcare crisis, a strong vendor network can overcome the challenges and enable continuous supply of medical devices. 

In this highly competitive logistic landscape, expectation from the supply chain is not just to transport products from one point to the other. With complexities like the pressure of downward price, and decreased tolerance for inventory, medical device contract manufacturers need to associate with a strong global supply chain management team to thrive in this competitive landscape. Capable supply chain partners can help deliver healthcare products quickly, seamlessly to the hospitals, clinics, healthcare professionals, and patients who need them.

Streamline Inventory Management

The medical device contract manufacturer must be agile in adapting to the latest developments in the global supply chain to build and manage the inventory diligently. While doing it manually, the process would be arduous. Having a good ERP system plays an integral part of managing supply chains and ensuring that manufacturers are able to respond to market fluctuations. The ERP software is extremely beneficial to record and calculate any important data of the organization and manage the supply chain operations automatically. 

Complete control over Regulation and Compliance

When entering new markets, there is an increased regulatory burden to meet the unique demands of each geographical location. While each country, state, or region may have its own set of specific regulations and compliance requirements, the safety and security standards are constantly growing. As a result, it is increasingly important for medical device manufacturers to ensure the manufactured product and devices have been maintained with adequate quality controls in place. Staying consistent with in-house quality controls is important to ensure the safety and faster delivery of raw materials/products to avoid any unnecessary delays especially in times of crisis. 

Medical devices supply like most industrial equipment can sometimes be lengthy, with multiple tiers of suppliers churning out the final product. Quality issues can occur at each step of the process and with every link in the supply chain. But the buck stops with the device maker, who sets realistic goals, shares a viable roadmap, and has the patience to realize its objectives.

Meet the Award-winning contract manufacturer for ground-breaking innovative solutions

GESCO Healthcare is a leading manufacturer of innovative implants and surgical instruments. The company offers end-to-end and tailored services to clients, right from design, prototyping and sourcing raw materials to large-scale production, packaging and delivery of surgery-ready products. Powered by a dedicated team of experts, cutting-edge technology and robust infrastructure, GESCO offers unmatched speed to market, agility and flexibility, giving an edge to medical device OEMs across the globe. 

The company’s fully-integrated in-house manufacturing capabilities and rigorous quality control culture help drive superior quality, precision and excellence across processes. With listless medical device supply chain capabilities and several international certifications and accreditations, GESCO ranks among the top contract manufacturers of medical equipment in Asia Pacific.

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