An interview with our VP of R&D in our spine and procedural kits BU.
In December 2023, Elos Medtech acquired the Klingel Group with its six subsidiary companies. That meant that we more than doubled our number of employees! Today we take a closer look at one of them – namely David Chenaux, Vice President of R&D at our new Spine and Procedure Business Unit.
How long have you been with Ruetschi Technology (now part of Elos Medtech)?
I joined the company in 2004, 20 years ago already! I started as Team Leader and, very quickly, I took on more responsibilities and was appointed R&D director in 2006.
How did your role evolve during these years?
We literally gained the “D“ of CDMO. From providing only advice for manufacturing, now we assist our customers from the very early conceptual phase of their projects by bringing innovation and our wide expertise in manufacturing. I’m particularly glad to capitalize experience acquired by collaborating with forward-thinking individuals, may they run big established companies or newly build pioneering startups. New technologies evolving quickly brings you to move fast and think ahead of these changes.
As a VP of R&D for the Spine & Procedure Kit Business Unit of Elos Medtech, what can you tell us about your role?
With my team, we always try to think out of the box! We strive to go into the smaller details of a product which make it not only good, but excellent, leveraging our expertise in the spine surgery and single use procedure kits for all medical disciplines.
Our biggest asset is our ability to accompany the client’s projects from A-Z – from the initial idea to the delivery of the finished products, going through the prototyping, pre-clinical tests, and design validation and verification. Therefore, our daily job is constantly changing, never boring, and always different.
Have you witnessed any major developments over the years that have breathed new life into spinal surgery?
The medtech field is a fast-growing and innovative industry. Additive manufacturing, navigation and robotic assisted surgery are for sure major breakthroughs in spinal surgery I witnessed. Expanding our additive manufacturing knowledge and capabilities is clearly one of the upcoming years goals. In 2024 already, we are increasing our 3D-printers fleet and offer our customers extended manufacturing capacities and reduced lead times.
What opportunities do you see with the acquisition of Klingel group?
The recent acquisition of Klingel group offers plenty of thrilling opportunities! We can now propose R&D services to a wider customer base, taking advantage of Elos Medtech’s wide fame and excellent reputation in the medical industry. Additional production technologies and know-hows are also a huge source of inspiration, with more than 13 production sites on three different continents, allowing us to get closer to our customers.
What expertise do you and your R&D team bring to Elos customers, existing and future?
Simplifying the surgical procedures by bringing our know-how and expertise in single-use procedure kits is our main objective. This enables costs and time saving for the surgeons and hospitals while improving patient safety. The whole team is excited to complete the 360° approach (engineering, prototyping, verification and validation, manufacturing, assembly, packing and distribution) we can offer to our valuable customer base.
Is there a product you are particularly proud of?
I’m proud of every product that contributes to improve the patient safety and gives competitive advantages to our customers. In this context I can mention the single use procedure kits that had proven their efficiency in reducing the risk of cross contamination, yet by keeping the same ecological footprint as reusable instruments (1). We did also significant improvements to pedicle screw fixation system that solves some issue with instrumented spinal fusion procedure.
Last, tell us about your life outside work: what are your areas of interest?
Taking care of my family is for sure my priority outside work. As I’m a scuba diver for many years, I cannot wait the moment to have my two children discovering the incredible beauty of the underwater life.
It is definitely people like David that drive our business forward! If you are interested in joining Elos, please check out our Career page for available positions, or send us an open application today: Career – Elos Medtech
