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Supply and Inventory Management

Conny Jacobsson Elos MedTech

“Our focus on quality work and continuous improvements has taken the Tianjin production site to where it is today”

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Having worked many years in China, Conny Jakobsson has gained lots of local knowledge to use in his new role as Managing Director at Elos Medtech’s production site in Tianjin. He is passionate about continuous improvements, innovation and creating employee engagement. With these driving forces in mind, he wants to contribute to the development of the factory and meet the medical device market’s growing demands in China and globally.

Hi, Conny! You are the new Managing Director at Elos Medtech Tianjin, but you are not new in China, right?

True, I have been living and working in China for the last 18 years. I first moved here thanks to a position I had at Ericsson, after which I took on new challenges at electronics manufacturer Flextronics. At Flextronics, my role was to manage and develop one of their factories. Later on, I  was also a part of a joint venture between Flextronics, Ericsson and a state-owned enterprise in China. In September 2017, I was contacted about the role of Managing Director at Elos Medtech’s production site in Tianjin.

A lot of valuable experiences gained then, I assume?

For sure! My journey has given me experiences from both the customer’s and supplier’s side of businesses which I think is valuable regardless of the industry, country or position you are operating in. As for my new position at Elos Medtech, I find my previous experiences with medical equipment and their distribution to be an advantage. But also, the local knowledge and contacts I have gained from working with management, manufacturing and distribution of products in China are very helpful!

I bet! So, what were your expectations for the job as Managing Director?

What I was looking forward to the most, was to be a part of Elos Medtech’s continued work towards world-class manufacturing. I am passionate about business development, creating employee engagement, building relationships with customers and making progress every single day at work. This includes improving the business that we already have, as well as expanding our operations.

Elos Medtech’s production site in Tianjin, China opened in 2010. The production has mainly been focused on mechanical components for Novo Nordisk’s nearby located plant. The healthcare company is a world leader in diabetes care, with manufacturing dominated by various types of reusable insulin pens. In order to meet and exceed Novo Nordisk’s requirement of components of the highest possible quality, we have continually advanced our expertise and production processes during these years as well as expanded our customer base. This focus on quality work and continuous improvements has taken the Tianjin factory to where it is today and I am committed to intensifying this even more.

An equally important part of our operations in Tianjin has been to expand Elos Medtech’s presence in Asia. We want to serve more customers and include additional medical device products to our manufacturing in Tianjin.

Exciting! Can you give any examples of how you are working with these areas?

As in all Elos Medtech’s factories, high-quality work is a cornerstone of the Tianjin production site. We produce components using exactly the same material and procedures as in the production sites in Sweden and Denmark. In other words, continuous improvement is nothing new to us, but we are now taking initiatives to work with it in an even more strategic way. One example of this has been to incorporate the Lean concept “Go to GEMBA”. The whole production site is now involved in identifying areas for development, from operator to manager, and improvements are made immediately at the production floor. Failure modes, as well as possibilities, are identified and handled during the actual production process. This way of working saves considerable amounts of time and costs.

Is innovation also a part of this?

Absolutely. My view is that a culture of continuous improvements and business development fosters innovation. We welcome every new idea or solution from our employees, in all parts of the organization. In addition, we have invested in recruiting quality, technical, process and CI engineers to our team to come up with new solutions to improve process quality and minimize waste.

How is this culture affecting the operations at the Tianjin production site?

It keeps us on our toes, and we are well-equipped to provide customers with an optimized production process and high-quality products. Our engineering team can manage our customers’ entire projects all the way from prototyping and sample deliveries to approvals, serial production and final delivery. Also, since we have all the resources available on site, lead times are short and customer support is quick.

What does the future have in store for the medical device market in China?

The market is growing tremendously! There is an increasing need for Chinese customers to work with a local supplier that has a global presence. There is also a growing demand from global customers to have a supplier with local presence and manufacturing in China. At Elos Medtech in Tianjin, we have both!

There is a great commitment and engagement among our employees to continue to develop and expand our business. With this engagement, we are ready to meet more customer’s demands on capacity and innovation in the medtech industry, both locally in China and globally.

If we put work aside, what do you do when you are not on the factory floor?

Since I am working in Tianjin but live and have my family in Beijing, I commute between the two on a weekly basis. After work hours I try to take time to play squash, tennis or golf. The weekends are spent with family and friends, often enjoying dinner out in the city pulse of Beijing before I go back to the production site. It is a nice balance really!

Thank you for a really nice chat, Conny! We are happy to have you onboard and are looking forward to our continued and shared venture!

If you are interested in getting to know more of our employees at Elos Medtech, visit our Knowledge Blog. Also, stay updated on our social media channels!

Automated Production Line_Elos MedTech Pinol

Modular and automated packaging line for medical device products

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Automation has led the entire medical device market on an exciting journey. Elos Medtech in Denmark works hard to become an automated factory and continuously initiates and completes projects in automation. One of our efforts has been to build a modular and automated packaging line to secure highest product quality and increase production efficiency. After two years of intense development, the line is now up and running.

Initiatives to meet the demands of tomorrow’s medical device market

Customers on the global medical device market are demanding higher production efficiency, better precision, highest product quality and traceability down to the smallest part. One way to achieve this is by adding automation to the processes of medical device manufacturing. Through Elos Medtech’s concept The Automated Factory, we have intensely focused on optimization, automation and robotics since 2012. One of our ongoing projects during this time has been to create an automated and modular production line. Our proof of concept resulted in a packaging line for prosthetic products for implants that are packed in blister packages.

Creating a better working environment with automation and robotics

Up until recently, we packed our prosthetic products for implants one by one with tweezers, in clean rooms, wearing masks and gloves. This process required unnecessarily long production time and monotonous work tasks. To increase production efficiency and create a better working environment for our employees we started looking at alternative solutions.

Having 300 different kinds of packages, it was not possible to buy one machine that could pack all variants. So, instead of having to invest in several different machines, we started developing our own modular system. By making the system modular we can use it for packing many types of products, but also for entirely different purposes such as assembly or validation of products. The operator should be able to easily change settings and tools of the system and thereby switch to another area of application.

A modular system to pack, assemble and validate medical devices

Our technical team started working with the concept five years ago, back in 2016, and the machine has now been up and running for a few weeks. As for now, the machine is calibrated to pack prosthetic products for two types of implants.

The process starts with the operator preparing the packaging line with papers, blister packs and products to be packaged before scanning the work order. The system will automatically make sure that the corresponding production program is set up correctly. It also controls that the right components and substances are available in the standardized fixtures and that the production cell holds the right temperature. After that, the machine will pack the products while collecting information about the process, which is then available to the operator whenever needed. This information includes, for example, production time, how many products that have been packed and if any product is damaged or disapproved for some reason.

A system built from scratch by Elos Medtech’s technical team

Because the whole system is built to be dynamically interchangeable, we are continually working to expand its capabilities beyond packing. Elos Medtech’s technical team has developed and programmed the entire system from its first line of code. This is highly valuable since we can do all changes and improvements by ourselves and it makes the process of adding functionality much smoother.

Moving towards a fully automated production process

By using automation to assemble, pack and validate our products we can offer our customers a more reliable and efficient production process. Also, our monitoring and control of the system improve the traceability and quality of our products. When we remove the process of packing products by hand, our production quality becomes more consistent and we improve the working conditions for our employees.

The development of this particular machine is just one part of everything that is being made through our concept The Automated Factory. We are moving towards a production line where few parts are touched by humans. Machines will do the repeatable and heavy labor tasks while our employees use their competencies for supporting innovation and progress. The technical team cooperates with machine operators and factory workers to recognize areas for improvement and implement these. This way, we will continue to develop our services and meet the ever higher demands of tomorrow’s global medical device market.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog article! Would you like to know more about our projects in automation at Elos Medtech? Feel free to contact us. Also, don’t forget to visit our Knowledge blog for other interesting articles.

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:

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.

5 Injection Moulding Trends in the Medtech Industry

5 Injection-Moulding Trends in the Medtech Industry

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The art of injection-moulding has been around for decades. But over the years, the technique has become more refined and the materials more sophisticated. Today, it is possible to produce plastic details with maximum precision and accuracy in dimension and surface. However, new market demands are constantly challenging the production process. In this blog post, I will share 5 injection-moulding trends in the medtech industry and what we do at Microplast to keep up with the new demands.

1. Injection-moulded products produced in Europe are becoming more attractive

The last fifteen to twenty years, China has had a dominant position in mass production of injection-moulded plastic products, and many companies have outsourced their production to the country due to its low labour cost. But we are now starting to see companies returning their production to Europe because of quality reasons. Chinese medtech companies purchase moulding tools as well as injection-moulded plastic products from Europe because of the poor quality in their domestic market. At Microplast, process control and quality follow-up have always been an extremely important part of our production process to meet the most stringent requirements on quality. We follow appropriate ISO standards and ensure a high level of process management and control. Quality awareness permeates our entire operation.

2. Automation is leading the way for injection-moulding in the medtech industry

In recent years, a wave of automation has swept over the medtech industry worldwide. There is an ongoing trend to increase production efficiency with the benefits of reduced human labor costs, saved energy and materials – but more importantly – improved quality, accuracy, and precision. To meet the demands of tomorrow’s market, Microplast recently extended our production site in Sweden and made ambitious investments in the latest high-tech robots, injection-moulding machines and equipment for clean room manufacturing. This allows us to further increase and streamline our production of injection-moulded products.

3. More partners along the supply chain are realising the advantages of traceability

Traceability is an important factor in the production of medtech products, especially the small plastic details used inside the body, as non-compliant materials can be a matter of life or death for the patient. Today, more partners along the supply chain are realising the advantages of traceability. It is in multiple partners’ interests to comply with local and international policies and regulations, and reduce the risk of non-compliant materials entering the supply chain. Traceability also provides coordination between authorities and relevant bodies, and can be used as a method of stock control and monitoring. At Microplast, the injection moulding process is fully traceable, from the point at which the thermoplastics material is delivered to us, until the products are delivered to the end user. Every batch has its own unique identification, allowing it to be traced at any time through our database.

4. Higher demands on delivery precision and packaging of medtech products

We can see a clear trend where more customers place higher demands on delivery precision and packaging. Many companies want to maximise the efficiency of their logistics and have their products delivered to the door – sterilised, packaged and ready to use in a clinical situation. At Microplast, we now have the possibility to carry out the actual injection-moulding of the plastic products in clean rooms, where we also perform testing, product assembly, packaging and labelling. Thanks to our VMI system, we can also guarantee that our customers always have the right number of products at the right time.

5. Customers request a single source from design to manufacturing and distribution

Another strong trend in the medtech industry is that companies want to outsource not only the manufacturing, but the entire production process – to one single contract manufacturer. The reason is higher demands on work processes, documentation, quality, accuracy and precision. To meet this challenge, Microplast is offering a complete performance, meaning that we take care of everything from design and manufacturing to packaging, distribution and logistics. To us, an important part of this is working closely with our customers, especially in the design and development phase, bringing knowledge to the table and helping our customers make the right choices of materials and injection-moulding processes right from the start of their product’s life cycle.

We produce more than just a piece of plastic – we produce life-changing medical devices

At Microplast, we have been producing injection-moulded plastic products since 1971. A lot has changed over the years, but one thing has remained the same – our products still make a difference. Our products are used in medical areas such as diagnostics, cardiac rhythm management and in vitro fertilisation, meaning, we actually help save people’s lives.

It is with great pleasure I can say that we look forward to new market demands in the medtech industry, so that we can continue to improve life saving products! Does that make sense to you? Please let me know by sharing your thoughts it in social media.

Also, read:

The Microplast Story – from a basement operation to over 900 injection-moulded parts

We now double our capacity thanks to our new factory at Microplast

The expert of thermoplastic components with fine tolerances

4 techniques for measuring injection-moulded plastic parts