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Orthopedics

Collage_AAOS22_blog2023

Will we see you at AAOS 2023?

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Imagine comparing products, attending demonstrations, and discussing trends with over 30 000 professionals representing the world of orthopedics. That’s music to our ears! This year, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) is hosting their Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, US.

Of course, Elos Medtech will be there. This year we celebrate 100 years in the industry 
- come and celebrate with us in booth 6239!

Our focus is your competitive advantage!

This year’s Annual Meeting will be held 7-11 March, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US. Elos Medtech will exhibit to showcase our orthopedic manufacturing capabilities: Point/Flute Grinding, Turning and Milling, Complex Geometries, Electropolishing and, Passivation, Multi-Part Assemblies, Finished Packaging, Injection Molding, as well as Laser Etching.

With a global network of manufacturing facilities in Europe, Asia, and the US, we have the capacity and expertise to meet your manufacturing needs.

Specialized experts with global reach

Today’s Elos Medtech Orthopedics is the result of two trusted companies coming together to become the world’s most focused development and advanced manufacturing partner. You have a committed global orthopedic team that leverages worldwide and vertically integrated capabilities to serve you.

If it’s not 100% yes – it’s a no!

Elos Medtech Orthopedics has chosen to focus only on what we do better than anyone else. As your trusted innovation partner, when we say, “yes,” it’s because your needs intersect with our dedicated competencies, and we’re confident that we can give you a competitive edge – from design and prototyping through manufactured quality on a large scale, distributed globally.

Experienced partner in trauma, spine, and reconstruction

Your trusted expert for orthopedic manufacturing now celebrates 100 years of innovation and collaboration.

The success of Elos Medtech starts with our people, experts in their respective fields, who listen to your needs and systematically apply our knowledge to develop creative solutions that keep your business successful today and tomorrow. We value a close dialogue with our customers and partners as well as keeping up to date with news and trends in the world of orthopedics. Therefore, we can’t think of a better place to spend a couple of days than at the AAOS 2023 Annual Meeting.

Are you as passionate about orthopedics as we are? Great! Then come and see us in booth 6239 at AAOS in Las Vegas 8-10 Mars, 2023. Until then, visit our website for more information about our products and solutions within orthopedics.

5-orthopedic-device-market-trends-2022

5 orthopedic device market trends 2022

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The past few years have presented many important trends in the orthopedic device market that we have been talking about for a while now. As the elderly population is expanding, the need for orthopedic devices that improve the quality of life for patients will continue to grow. In this blog article, I share what we see today and how things are developing, presenting 5 orthopedic device market trends in 2022.

1. The acceptance of robotics in orthopedic surgery

Robotic-assisted surgery is a major focus in orthopedics. About five years ago, robotic surgery was pretty much in its infancy. A lot has happened in the past few years, and it has now become more accepted. Every single company has or is coming out with its own system for doing robotic surgery. It started with hips and knees and has progressed to involve spine and trauma applications.

One of the major orthopedic device companies installed 600 robots globally in 2021 and expects to install another 350-400 robots in 2022. Another major orthopedic device company installed 100 robots for knee replacement surgery in 2021 and expects to install another 200 robots in 2022. A third key player believes the demand for robotic-assisted surgery in orthopedics will remain strong. 

I think this trend will continue to evolve, and the robots will become more refined, feature-rich, and precise. This is how the market is going, and companies will have to keep up with the development to stay ahead of the competition.

2. The shift to ambulatory surgery centers

Another trend, especially for the US market, is the shift to ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) performing more of the procedures. Prior to Covid, there was a general trend in the industry of trying to move more procedures to the ASC setting. Cost savings and ease of access for the patients and physicians made the movement to the ASC desirable, but it was slow.

With COVID, the move was accelerated. The hospitals were understandably full of Covid patients occupying beds that may have been needed post-surgery. Also, many surgical patients were concerned about being in close proximity to Covid-positive patients.

I think this is a trend that is definitely going to continue in the future. I don’t see us going back to when most orthopedic procedures were performed in the hospital.

The aspect of robotic surgery also plays into the ambulatory surgery situation. There was a time when, if you had a total knee replacement, you were in the hospital for a minimum of a week. Now you can do same-day surgery with robotic assistance due to their preciseness.

One of the major orthopedic device companies is experiencing continued penetration of US ambulatory surgery centers and contribution from robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery. They also saw the shift to the ASC setting evolving in the Covid environment and expect the ASCs to grow significantly going forward. ​

Another key player is seeing continued growth of large joint replacements in ambulatory surgery centers, especially knee replacements. They believe entering the cementless knee space will be critical to staying competitive in the orthopedic device market. 

3. The shift to disposable instrumentation in surgery

Another big trend, which also plays into the ambulatory surgery setting, is a shift from reusable to disposable instrumentation. Since the inception of orthopedic surgery, surgeons have used drills, screwdrivers, saws, and other surgical instruments of one form or another for their procedures. Then they go down to central supply, where the instruments are cleaned, sterilized, and repacked after every case.

But now, we are starting to see a shift slowly going to disposable instrumentation. The disposable instruments come prepackaged and sterile. They are used for one procedure and are then properly and sustainably disposed of and recycled to aid in the production of new instruments. Brand new packs are taken out for the next procedure. I think this is the way a lot of the systems are going to go for instruments that have been used historically over and over again.

Until this point, the biggest impediment has been the cost of buying disposable instrumentation. However, there is a cost of sterilization as well. Many hospitals have invested millions of dollars in systems to clean and sterilize the instruments between procedures. They are now looking at the cost of using disposable instruments versus sterilization.

According to the latest research by FMI, the demand for disposable spinal instruments is poised to increase at a robust CAGR of 8.3% between 2022 and 2028, totalling a valuation of US$ 96.5 Mn by 2028. If the market can get the disposable cost down to a reasonable level, I think that is where this is going.

4. Additive manufacturing for orthopedic implants

Additive manufacturing is another big trend. Industry analyst SmarTech estimates that the orthopedic segment of additive manufacturing is forecast to grow by nearly 30% annually. However, it is taking a bit longer to ramp up, and the orthopedic market still hasn’t fully adopted it for some indications.

Again, a large factor is the cost. Once the manufacturers can bring the cost down, which we are starting to see, I think 3D-printed, custom-made implants will start to become more accepted. We are already starting to see many spine implants created using additive manufacturing.

Right now, for most arthroplasty procedures, surgeons try to match pre-made implants as closely as possible to the patients’ anatomy – and they can get it pretty close. But everybody is different, as we know. With 3D printing, however, it is possible to custom-make an implant specific to the patient’s unique anatomy. The fit will be better, and the implant will last longer.

Even though 3D printing is still too expensive for a lot of orthopedic implants, there are companies making them for very specific indications such as bone cancer and spinal surgery. Additive manufacturing has already revolutionized the design and manufacturing processes in a lot of industries. I think it will continue as a trend also in the orthopedic industry.

5. New innovative materials for orthopedic implants

Another big and ongoing trend in orthopedics is the development of new materials such as alloys, composites, and polymers and how they are manufactured. For example, there is a new polymer that scientists at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have come up with that is twice as strong as stainless steel but as light as plastic. The medical implications of those properties are huge. Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT, says this new polymer may open up a whole new class of materials that are strong in new kinds of ways.

We are also seeing a big trend with PEEK implants, and that is just continuing to grow as companies are learning how to manufacture more complex components. According to Science Direct, polymer materials have become the research hotspot and achieved outstanding results in recent years.

I think these new types of materials will play a large part in the future of the orthopedic device market.

I hope this blog post gave you some insight into some of the orthopedic device market trends in 2022. To learn more about Elos Medtech’s offer, visit our website.

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Robotic surgery - A growth engine in the orthopedic market

Robotic surgery – A growth engine in the orthopedic market

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The use of robots in orthopedic surgery is an emerging field that has steadily gained momentum over the past few years. As a result, we are experiencing an increased demand for orthopedic products for robotic surgery. But why has robotic surgery become a growth engine in the orthopedic market? And what should you consider when looking into a development and manufacturing partner for your orthopedic products?

Robotic surgery allows for the most complex procedures

During robotic or robot-assisted surgery, the surgeon uses computer technology to direct the movements of a robotic arm with small instruments attached to it while looking at a 3D image of the patient’s intricate anatomy on a large screen. The precise movements of the robotic arm allow surgeons to perform the most complex procedures with more control, accuracy, and flexibility compared to conventional techniques.

The benefits of robot-assisted orthopedic surgery

Robotic surgery can support surgeons with advanced targeting, visualization, and task execution with precision beyond human skills. It provides a high level of repeatability with reproducible results eliminating variations in surgical outcomes.

Robotic surgery can be used to cut bone, help position implants, as well as guide the surgeons for positioning instruments more precisely. It is ideal for total joint replacement, such as hip and knee, as the bone can be treated as a fixed object.

According to the Medical Device Network, the number of robotic-assisted knee reconstruction surgeries is expected to reach approximately 700.000 globally by 2030 with a CAG of 8% from 2021 to 2030.

One of the main benefits of robot-assisted orthopedic surgery is the high level of precision when reducing long bone fractures or correcting spinal deformity. In spine surgery, the surgical guidance system helps surgeons provide a minimally invasive incision and insert the orthopedics implants more precisely in the case of multiple fractures. Surgeons at Yale New Haven Hospital were early adopters of robotics in the operation room and will add a new robot for spinal surgery this year.

In orthopedic trauma, robots are used for assistance in closed fracture reduction and reconstruction. Other benefits in fracture care include precise guiding of the implant, inserting, and manipulation of the screws and bolts.

Robot-assisted orthopedic surgery greatly benefits patients

Robot-assisted orthopedic surgery also offers many benefits to the patient. Minimally-invasive surgery means smaller incisions resulting in less scarring on the body and reduced risk of infection. This also has the effect of reducing blood loss, pain, and discomfort post-surgery. The recovery time is generally faster, and patients are often discharged on the same day, depending on the procedure.

High demand for orthopedic products for robotic surgery

Robotic surgery has demonstrated its potential and significance. It is replacing conventional techniques and has the potential to transform the way orthopedic procedures are done in the future. As robotic technology brings surgery into the digital age, the demand for orthopedic products continues to increase.

According to Orthopedic Surgical Robots Market Outlook 2028 by Strategic Market Research, the market is expected to reach USD 4489 million in 2028 and robotic-assisted surgery is estimated to be the most trending technology in the future. The technology comprises a colossal potential in standardizing surgical procedures and enabling minimal invasive surgery, technique thereby ushering in a new era of growth.

Are you looking to outsource your orthopedic products?

Today, many companies focus on outsourcing as a competitive strategy. When looking into a development and manufacturing partner for your orthopedic products, there are many things you should consider: Are they a trusted partner in the industry? Do they understand your market? Are they willing to invest? Do they have the knowledge, expertise, and capabilities required for developing and manufacturing your specific products?

Choosing a CDMO is one of the most important decisions you can make for influencing the future success of your products, and, therefore, you should always look into different options. Here are some of the reasons why other orthopedic companies have chosen to collaborate with us.

A leading global development and manufacturing partner

Our commitment to the orthopedic market has made us a global development and manufacturing leader for medical devices and components. Our specialization is one of the reasons why many of the world’s leading companies choose to collaborate with us along with our high-quality standards. We operate from facilities in Europe, China, and the US, and our customer base comprises international medical technology companies.

A strong product offering in orthopedics

In recent years, we have developed a strong product offering in orthopedics through specialization and investments in our core competencies. During the previous year, the expansion of our production site in Memphis, USA, was completed as part of our strategic growth plan. Our focused investments and dedicated work have contributed to an increased interest from global leading orthopedic companies.

Investing in our orthopedic business area

To meet increased customer demand in 2022, we will continue to invest in our orthopedic business area. Within a few years, we expect about half of our sales within orthopedics will be products for robotic surgery. This requires investments in machinery, personnel, and other equipment, primarily in the US site, over a three-year period which we now plan for.

Demonstrated expertise in orthopedic products for robotic surgery 

Orthopedic products for robotic surgery is an area of the market where we are well established with several customers. We have demonstrated expertise in this key market, long-term specialization in selected products, and close partnerships with our customers.

In-depth experience in other markets and medical technologies

Our ability to share expertise and capabilities across our centers increases the ways we can add value to our customers’ projects and business. In the Elos Medtech Group, we have in-depth experience in other markets and medical technologies, including hearing devices and cardiovascular, neurosurgical, and oncology treatments as well as delivery systems.


Robotic surgery is a fascinating area and we are really excited to see this market trend continue to develop. Would you like to know more about our orthopedic offering? Visit our website.

Elos Medtech Memphis, USA

How we are creating a strong, global cross-site platform within orthopedics

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It has been three years since we acquired U.S.-based Onyx Medical as a way to intensify our commitment to the global orthopedic market. A lot has happened since 2015 and we are now merged into one; Elos Medtech Onyx. The orthopedic publication Bonezone recently interviewed Elos Medtech’s Orthopedic Business Director Jodie Gilmore about our ongoing efforts to meet the high demands of the industry.

A supplier to the orthopedic market that meets global demands while providing local service

Orthopedic companies want a supplier with technical expertise, high capacity and a global presence. Because our customers serve the global market, it is essential that we meet global market demands while providing local services. The acquisition of Onyx Medical has been an important part of our efforts to create a strong global cross-site platform within orthopedics. Today, we have orthopedic manufacturing sites in Asia, Europe and the United States. Each site has its specific competencies and capabilities, but they all have a common focus on working strategically with continuous improvements and innovation. In the Bonezone article, Jodie states that the global focus that Elos Medtech has had during recent years has provided us with a lot of new opportunities to meet customers’ needs. Also, we see an increased demand for drills, pins, wires and screws in both traditional trauma and robotically enabled surgery. As a result, Elos Medtech is in the process of a significant expansion of the U.S. facility. By nearly doubling our current manufacturing space and investing in new equipment and employees we will increase our capacity to support customers in the global orthopedic market. Read the full interview with Jodie Gilmore to learn more about Elos Medtech’s efforts and investments in the medical device market!  
EDM Elos MedTech

Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) increases automation and precision in orthopedic manufacturing

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When manufacturing products for the orthopedic market, precision is of the greatest importance. The right combination of technology and automation can ensure this precision, while reducing production costs and increasing capacity at the same time. At Onyx Medical, we believe it is important to develop our skills and knowledge in order to meet our customers’ needs. In this article, I’d like to share one way we are doing that with an EDM machine that enables us to create perfectly straight holes in our cannulated drills – faster, and at a lower cost, than other techniques.

Orthopedic instruments that require high-precision drilling

A cannulated drill is an example of an orthopedic product that requires extreme manufacturing precision. Used in fixation surgeries for fractured bones, the drill has small-diameter hole through which a guide wire is inserted, which is used to drill a small guide hole in the bone where a tunnel or screw hole is required.

The advantage of this process is that the guide wire can be repositioned without causing undue trauma to the bone. When the position is right, the cannulated drill is driven along the guide wire to drill the actual hole into the bone. This way of working makes for a more precise surgery, provided that the guide hole in the cannulated drill is perfectly straight. If it is not, the guide wire might move off of position while drilling.

Comparing gun drilling vs EDM for the creation of perfectly straight holes

One way of creating holes in orthopedic instruments is gun drilling. The gun drilling process uses a single fluent drill held stationary or slightly rotated. The drill has a high-pressure coolant that runs through the center and removes chips and lubricates the drill. A challenge with gun drilling is that when drilling long holes, the drill can drift somewhat sideways. So, as the drill exits the workpiece, it will come out slightly off center.

Another method of creating a perfectly straight hole in a cannulated drill is electrical discharge machining (EDM). This method uses the effects of rapidly recurring electrical discharges between electrodes and the drill. The discharges create sparks that erode small parts of the material from the item, in this case, the cannulated drill. The cannulated drill is positioned vertically to the EDM machine and the sparks from the electrode reach the center of the drill and erode a uniform diameter hole all the way through its center.

An EDM machine makes it possible to create smaller, longer and straighter holes than with gun drilling. The holes can be as small as 0.8 millimeters in diameter and up to 200 millimeters in length.

Automated manufacturing for reliable results and reduced production costs

The EDM machine is also highly automated. Once the cannulated drills are loaded, the machine does the rest, changing electrodes and positions automatically. This reduces human operator time and ensures more consistent and reliable results. The key role of the human operator is to position the cannulated drills correctly, and exactly vertical to the machine. Once that is accomplished, the EDM machine produces straight, centered holes every time.

Elos Medtech continuously seeks to drive innovation forward and enhance our technical knowledge and skills in order to meet the demands of the market. Onyx Medical’s investment in an EDM machine in 2017 contributes to this goal. During our process of validating the machine, we have developed solutions and routines that perfect its performance. We have also designed and tested a variety of different fixtures to make it easy to load the machine with cannulated drills.

We are closing in on a solution that makes it possible to load the machine at the beginning of the day, after which it will run smoothly on its own for the rest of the day. The operator then unloads the completed parts, loads the machine with new parts and presses “go” again. This process produces reliable and high-precision results, reduced production costs and higher capacity.

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog article about our new EDM machine at Onyx Medical. Feel free to contact me with questions, or visit our website for more information. Also, don’t forget to visit Elos Medtech on social media and Elos Medtech’s knowledge blog for more interesting articles.

Tim Turner Elos Medtech Onyx Medical

Profile in Focus: “Our customers get more than high-quality products from us, they get extensive knowledge as well!”

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He has an education in mechanical engineering and many years of experience working at Onyx Medical, a company that is a part of the Elos Medtech Group. Tim Turner (standing to the right in the picture) is the Business Development Manager who is driven by team spirit and challenging projects. His contribution to meeting the global customers’ demands made him “Employee of the Year”. But, according to him, it was entirely a team effort.

Hi, Tim! You have been working at Onyx Medical since 2004. Tell me about your journey at the company?

When I first came to Onyx Medical I was hired in as a Production Engineer with no medical industry experience nor machining experience; just an excitement to be here and a willingness to learn. My journey started with learning our machining processes and gaining knowledge about our industry needs. I quickly began writing machine programs and training operators on how to run our equipment. It was a fun and exciting time with new challenges each day. As my understanding of our business grew I began to help provide information for quoting and lending a technical hand to our sales team as we worked with our customers on new projects. Four years into my time here at Onyx a need arose on the Sales and Business Development side and I decided to take the opportunity to move my talents to that side of the business. Today, as a Business Development Manager I oversee the sales and customer service at Onyx Medical as well as our production scheduling.

It has been a great journey as I have watched and helped play a part in seeing some very substantial growth through the last 13 years. Since we have joined the  Elos Medtech Group  in 2015 I see great potential for more exciting possibilities for our team!

So, how did you end up at Onyx Medical in the first place?

Before Onyx Medical, I worked for 6 years as a Production Engineer and Production Manager at a company that produced and sold soy protein to health food companies. As I later started looking for new opportunities I was told by a lady at a local university that Onyx Medical was in need of a new production engineer. After meeting with the team at Onyx I felt that it would be rewarding to work in the orthopaedic industry and be a part of developing, manufacturing and supplying medical devices that help people in their daily lives. It also appealed to me that Onyx Medical was a relatively small company with positive energy and team spirit. I like the idea of working in an entrepreneurial organisation that encourages innovative ideas and has the ambition to grow.

Based on your experiences, what is the most important thing to consider in your current role?

It’s important to understand that as the Business Development manager of Onyx Medical I serve as the face of our company to our customers, not only for Onyx but for the entire Elos Medtech organisation, and I also serve as the face of our customers to our team within our organisation. With that, I believe that clear communication is key. From a sales perspective, it starts by listening to the voice of the customer and understanding their needs then clearly communicating  how we can use our products and services as well as our design and supply-chain management solutions to meet their needs. Also, it is important to listen and understand where our customers are heading in the future so we can then internally implement the resources that are needed to meet the market demands and stay at the forefront as a viable supplier of orthopaedic products.

You were named “Employee of the year”! Tell me about your work that lead up to the nomination?

First and foremost, this award is the result of a team effort. Since Onyx Medical was acquired by Elos Medtech we have gained a lot of new resources and capabilities throughout the world. Being a global manufacturing partner is of great value to our customers since we now can meet even more of their needs.  

An important long term goal for Elos Medtech is to achieve a unified company. We want to utilize the synergy effects between our business centers in Sweden, Denmark, USA and China, to drive global growth. As a way of doing this, we started to network within the Elos Medtech organisation to get an overview of our collective resources and present those to our customers. We have a number of projects we are working on now that are utilizing the capabilities of our other sites with even more projects now in discussion. For one particular project, I specifically worked with our facility in China with a customer that is very interested in our ability to manufacture in the US as well as in China. Our goal is to setup our China facility in a manner that would best allow us to serve our customers needing products in and from China. This project served as a way for us to identify what resources we have there and what resources we need to add to meet the demands of the orthopedic market. By doing this, we have now created a platform that we can use to aid in our continued expansion in China.  

What is the most exciting part of your job?

The most exciting part right now is seeing the entire Elos Medtech organisation working together and as a result of that, we can now take on larger scale projects! I also enjoy that my work is never the same. I face new challenges every day. It is very motivating to be a part of an organisation that wants to continue to grow and always aims to be better.

What are your thoughts on Onyx Medical and Elos Medtech for the future?

My vision is that we will continue to expand globally and meet more of our customers’ expectations in the medtech industry. The work that we have done in China is a part of this. If we continue to listen to our customers as well as keep our innovative spirit, I believe that we have a great potential to keep growing across the world. We are and will continue to be, a partner to our customers, not just a contract manufacturer. By this, I mean that our customers get more than quality products from us, they also get extensive knowledge and support from all parts of our organisation.

Exciting! So, how do you spend your time when you are not working?

When I am not at the office, I spend time with my family. Both of my kids are very active in sports so me and my wife are coaching and traveling with them a lot. To just be a part of their lives and watching them grow up is something I enjoy very much!

Thank you for a really nice chat, Tim. Congratulations to you- and your team- on being “Employee of the Year”. We are looking forward to the continued and shared venture of Onyx Medical and Elos Medtech!  

Would you like to get to know more employees at Elos Medtech? Visit our knowledge Blog, where they share their experiences and knowledge.

OMTEC 2017 Elos MedTech Onyx

Elos Medtech is the Proud Premier Sponsor of OMTEC 2017

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The annual Orthopedic Manufacturing & Technology Exposition and Conference is at the door. Elos Medtech is very happy to be the premier sponsor of this year’s event! OMTEC is the world’s only conference exclusively serving the orthopaedic industry. The event takes place June 14-15th in Chicago, USA. Will you be there? We hope so!

Meet professionals from the orthopedic manufacturing community

OMTEC is an important hub for various professionals from the orthopedic manufacturing community. With twelve years under its belt, OMTEC is recognised as an international conference that facilitates dialogue and partnerships among suppliers, service providers, and orthopaedic OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) professionals. The target audience of the conference is procurement, supply chain, operations, R&D (Research & Development), and executive-level participants as well as business development, regulatory, quality, and clinical affairs professionals.

Explore the medical fraternity and emerging orthopedic trends

OMTEC is directed towards exploring the medical fraternity and emerging trends in the orthopedic sector. Visiting the event, you will experience an environment that educates, connects and empowers you: 147 exhibiting companies from 13 countries will be on hand to help you. 28 speakers will bring you how-tos, lessons learned, and future outlooks through workshops, keynotes, sessions, tech presentations, and surgeon-hosted knowledge pod discussions. It is a great event for joining forces with your peers and strengthening your knowledge and network!

Elos Medtech is a global solution partner to the orthopedic industry

Elos Medtech is not only the premiere sponsor of OMTEC 2017, but we will also exhibit as a global solution partner to the orthopedic industry, sharing our knowledge and insights. Our main message for OMTEC 2017 will be “Our world continues to change – our passion remains the same”. This means that we are dedicated to innovation and committed to continuous improvements. Our solution offerings are based on our extensive know-how that is up-to-date with the orthopedic trends. We believe in building great partnerships and have been serving the orthopedic industry for many years now, and made the strategic decision to acquire U.S. based Onyx Medical to further increase our presence and offering in the orthopaedic market.

Onyx Medical is specialized in making a complete line of wires, guide pins, half pins, drills and screws utilising the latest in process technology, and partnering with the world’s leading orthopedic companies. The 53,000-square-foot, ISO-certified and FDA-registered facility located in Memphis, Tennessee, USA is strategically positioned for unparalleled global supply, together with our facilities in Sweden, Denmark and China.

We look forward to seeing you at OMTEC 2017

We are always delighted to meet our customers, partners, distributors, and anyone interested in orthopedics and the medical device industry. We hope that our participation at OMTEC 2017 will provide many interesting and fruitful discussions as well as the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences with our customers and colleagues. We are very excited for OMTEC 2017 and hope to see you there!

For more news and updates from the medtech industry and Elos Medtech, visit our medtech Blog. Also, read:

Onyx Manufacturing Elos MedTech

“Serving the orthopedic market helps to transform and make life better for many people”

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The other week, Bonezone interviewed Elos Medtech’s CEO Jan Wahlström about our strategic decision to acquire U.S. based Onyx Medical and increase our presence in the orthopedic market. In the past year, Elos Medtech’s orthopedic business accounted for one-third of our total revenue. And, according to Jan, the future looks bright. We will be able to expand our offerings and better serve the market needs.

Serving as U.S. platform for growth within the orthopedic market

The acquisition of Onyx Medical has elevated Elos Medtech in many ways. “Onyx Medical has injected energy and enthusiasm into the Elos Medtech group and will serve as our U.S. platform for growth and expansion within the orthopedic market and allow us to expand offerings (such as milling, injection molding, assembly and kitting) to complement Onyx’s own core competencies and better serve the market needs, says Jan Wahlström.

Orthopedic manufacturing locations in China, Europe and the U.S.

Jan Wahlström has a positive view on future acquisitions. “We have orthopedic manufacturing locations in China, Europe and the U.S. and offer a robust set of core competencies that allows us to grow organically through our focused strategy as a contract development and manufacturing organization. Our primary emphasis will be to continue serving the orthopedic and dental markets, where our goal is to be a trusted partner to market leaders and innovators within the field. We are open to potential future acquisitions, provided they fit well within our clear focus and vision to serve these markets”, he says.

Our orthopedic business has the freedom to develop within its niche

Elos Medtech has a great ability to remain efficient and nimble, and according to Jan Wahlström, business structure plays an important part. “Each site has a particular competence, and we aim to support and grow this competence through technology development and investments. Our orthopedic business has the independence and freedom to continue developing within its niche, while also collaborating within other groups to share best practices and team up across sites wherever needed for customer projects.”

Orthopedics is a high technology market with tough demands

There are many things Jan Wahlström finds attractive about the orthopedic market. “Serving the orthopedic market helps to transform and make life better for many people. I appreciate that orthopedics is a high technology market with tough demands, where constant improvement is essential and where strong partnerships between supplier and customer are embraced”, he says.

Read the full interview with Jan Wahlström here! For more info about Elos Medtech and the markets we serve, visit our website. Also, read 3 Top trends in the Orthopedic Device Market.

Orthopaedic Device Mark

3 Top Trends in the Orthopaedic Device Market

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The medical device market is large, complex, competitive, and growing. As a global development and production partner for the European, Asian and US markets, we strive to remain aligned with the latest market developments. In this blog article, I will take a closer look at the orthopaedic device market and describe three of the top trends as well as speculate about what the future might hold.

1. Cost control: Commoditization of the orthopaedic device market

The first big trend I see is that the orthopaedic device market – in many ways – is becoming more commoditized and there is a larger focus on cost-reduced implants, instrumentation and delivery systems.  This is the result of the combined effect of ongoing pricing pressure and growing demand for procedures in the market – medical device companies must find ways to reduce the cost of getting their products into the hands of the people who need them around the globe.  Cost controls are becoming even more important because expanding regulatory requirements are generating increased expense which erodes margins even further.  As a result, medical device companies have to work really hard to eliminate non-value added cost drivers and mitigate supply chain and regulatory expense.

We focus on building effective and sustainable quality and regulatory processes

At Elos Medtech, we recognize that by investing time and resources early in the project, there is a greater opportunity to develop a compliant and cost effective design and supply chain from the very beginning.  Furthermore, we are continuously working to increase internal efficiency, improve production techniques and utilize technology advances to support our customers’ ongoing cost containment activities. Aside from the design, manufacturing and logistics processes, we understand that one of the greatest cost drivers of any project or product is the ever escalating regulatory compliance aspect. At Elos Medtech, we are highly knowledgeable of the requirements and capable of full compliance in a cost effective, value added manner. We truly believe that companies who are able to comply in a simple and efficient way will have a serious competitive advantage.  This is why building effective and sustainable Quality and Regulatory processes is a large focus for our group.

2. Product innovation: Improved patient outcomes, reduced surgical time

Improving patient outcomes and reducing procedure time is also becoming increasingly important in healthcare.  And within the orthopedics market, we have an ageing population that is going to need more procedures. It is actually expected that there will not be enough orthopaedic surgeons to meet the growing demand.  Device companies are going to have to produce medical devices and tools that allow orthopedists to perform more surgeries, which in turn also reduces cost. Medical devices need to be simpler and more user friendly with less likelihood of error.  But they cannot cost more, and this is also a challenge. Most products on the market today are generally sufficient. So unless a new product can reduce the surgical time or improve patient outcomes or differentiate itself in some meaningful way, hospitals are typically unwilling to pay more. A large challenge lies ahead for the medical device companies to effectively compete and meet the demands of the market.

We collaborate closely with customers to improve performance, cost and quality

In close collaboration with our customers and their development teams – and within our niche areas of expertise – we use our deep knowledge to help design and deliver products that will perform better and which will meet the surgeon and patients’ needs. Understanding the specific surgical application and the associated challenges along with the market requirements of the customer is essential to our process. The earlier our team can be brought into the commercial, design and R&D process, the more opportunity we will have to provide suggestions for improved performance, optimal cost control and advance consideration of quality compliance requirements.

3. Technology advances: Robotics, computer-aided surgery, 3D printing

Today, we are seeing a number of technology advances in the orthopaedic device market.   We definitely see more emphasis on minimally invasive, computer aided and robotically assisted surgery with the goal of improving accuracy, precision and patient outcomes. Over time, this may help create a higher and more replicable standard of care and perhaps one day help to achieve the broad goal of reducing surgical time and the total cost of care.   As the technology moves forward, the orthopaedic supply chain needs to keep pace.  In the end, one thing remains constant. When it comes to orthopaedic procedures, there will always be the need for medical devices and tools that can cut, shave, and make holes in bone.

Another technology that is a subject on everyone’s lips right now is 3D printing. Even though not widespread, we are starting to see 3D printing in orthopaedic procedures and manufacturing for prototype, custom and low volume solutions. One of the greatest advantages of 3D printing is that implants can be completely adapted to the patient, and delivered with a very short time frame. But because the implants are patient-specific, and quite expensive to produce, this technology targets a smaller niche market.

We develop our knowledge with 3D manufacturing techniques continuously

We are already helping to develop and deliver many products in support of robot assisted and computer assisted surgery (such as for fixation and bone cutting,) and working with customer design teams to develop products to support their growing needs within this surgical area. It is a natural fit for our specialized expertise.  We are also working to apply 3D manufacturing within our groups. Currently, our efforts are focused on supporting production innovation and process improvement activities but we are continuously developing our knowledge and experience with 3D manufacturing techniques to evaluate applications that could be directly applied to the products we deliver in the future.

The US orthopaedic device market and the future

So what does the future hold for the US orthopaedic device market? This is always a difficult question to answer, but I definitely think that the market will only continue to experience steady development as the population continues to grow and to age and the demand for orthopaedic devices increases. One of the biggest challenges ahead will probably be for the companies to differentiate themselves. As to the technology advances, they are not likely to slow down. On the contrary, new innovations will go hand in hand with the need for improving patient outcomes, reducing surgical time and hopefully also the total cost of care. And while the US has heavily dominated the global market for some time now, companies that are able to compete in a cost effective way and deliver innovative and regionally tailored solutions will have a competitive advantage.  Ultimately, technology is and will continue to be one of the key drivers for overall growth within the orthopedic market.

What do you think of the US orthopaedic market and the future? Which trends do you see? Please, let me know in the comments! For more info about how Elos Medtech can help and support you to develop and manufacture trauma, extremities and spine products, visit Elos Medtech’s website. Also, visit our Knowledge Blog to read Onyx Medical – A leading Supplier to the Orthopaedic Market as well as OEM’s Choice of the Right Contact Manufacturer.

Largest trends in spine care from Eurospine

The largest trends in spine care from Eurospine 2016

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At the beginning of October, thousands of spine care professionals met at Eurospine 2016 to exchange knowledge, experiences, and research within the area. Of course, Elos Medtech was there and took part in the discussions. Did you plan on going but got held up, or are you curious to see if you missed something important? Here is my brief summary from the trade fair.

Eurospine – the Spine Society of Europe

Eurospine is the largest spine society in Europe today. Although their members are mainly orthopaedics and neurosurgeons, they welcome all spine related disciplines and professionals. One of their contributions to the development of spine related problems is to host an annual trade fair. The aim of the trade fair is to stimulate the exchange of knowledge and ideas in the field of research, prevention, and treatment of spine diseases and related problems, and to coordinate efforts undertaken in European countries for further development in this field.

Software and robotics – the future within spine care

Topics that were highlighted at Eurospine 2016 were training for both young and advanced surgeons as well as advanced operative techniques. For example, we were introduced to different types of software that help you navigate to define an injury and perform the right treatment. Advanced computer support when using 3D scanning and X-Ray, and sophisticated robotics in surgery were also high on the agenda. I also picked up a growing need from the market to collect postoperative data and analyses from different operation methods’ success rate.

Spine surgery performed from the front generates best results

A frequently discussed topic among surgeons is how to perform lumbar interbody fusion (LIF); from the front (ALIF), the side (XLIF) or the rear (TLIF/PLIF). The topic was brought up at one of the biggest seminars at Eurospine. The majority of the surgeons stated they operate from the rear (TLIF/PLIF). However, when asked what method will generate best results in the future, the majority of the professionals agreed it will be to operate from the front (ALIF). This paves the way for Elos Medtech’s spine product Elos Retractor™, which allows safe, easy retraction by providing superior access to the intervertebral disc in anterior lumbar spine surgery. Its unique design allows secure retraction with slim retractor elements in a simple procedure, eliminating the need for large rigid blade retractors and table-mounted devices.

Elos Medtech develops and manufactures cutting edge spine products

Elos Medtech visited Eurospine 2016 with the goal of strengthening our relationships with present as well as future customers and partners, discussing market trends and sharing as well as gaining further knowledge in orthopaedics. At Elos Medtech, we enjoy meeting old and new acquaintances and discuss spine-related topics, which is a medtech area close to our heart. We are now more eager than ever to find solutions to your needs within spine care.

Read our article “Orthopaedic OEMs’ Choice of the Right Contract Manufacturer” to learn more about Elos Medtech’s way of working. I hope you found my article rewarding and that you gained some new knowledge about Elos Medtech’s engagement within spine care. Please share your thoughts with us on our social media channels.

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