The Medica/CompaMed trade fair is one of the largest exhibitions of medical devices, healthtech, and wellness products in the world. In addition to the finished device OEMs, a significant number of supply chain partners that support those companies also exhibit at the event. Combined, visitors can typically find anything they are seeking, from drug delivery innovations to hospital beds to component fabrication service providers. Regardless of where someone is in the care chain, the event should prove useful to all.

Unfortunately, because so many companies are showcasing their products and capabilities at the event, it’s nearly impossible to meet with every organization that might add value. Therefore, MPO has spoken with several exhibitors who are prepared and capable of serving medical device manufacturers looking for new or specialized partners to address the challenges they are currently facing or expect to face on future projects. The following “From the Booth” feature with Lisa Spak, general manager of UFP Chicopee at UFP MedTech, will offer insights on whether you are the right fit to collaborate.

Sean Fenske: What technology or service are you emphasizing at Medica/CompaMed this year?

Lisa Spak: This year at CompaMed, we’re highlighting UFP’s ability to help clients bring products to market faster. With six state-of-the-art development labs, a global footprint, and deep design and manufacturing expertise, we’re built to move efficiently from concept to commercialization. We help clients innovate safely and accelerate their path to launch with the quality and regulatory compliance our clients expect.

Fenske: What’s the most common challenge customers inquire about and how do you address it?

Spak: Customer challenges are always different, but most clients come to us with a project they are struggling with when it comes to developing a manufacturing process. UFP understands materials, design, prototyping, validation, and supply chain—all under one roof—and we can essentially prove their concept while ensuring they avoid process challenges we’ve already solved. It’s experience that translates directly into speed and confidence.

Fenske: If you could give one piece of advice to companies seeking a manufacturing partner before they make a decision, what would it be?

Spak: I think the key factor here is supply chain reliability. UFP strives to ensure we give our clients options while helping them avoid specifying exotic, hard-to-acquire materials. The best practice is using materials that are both innovative and readily available. At the end of the day, it’s about understanding how to reduce variation and manage change. Process consistency is key to quality, and our early-stage design and development work verifies our capability to manufacture your product. That’s peace of mind.

Fenske: What are the forces driving medical device manufacturers to seek your technology/services over doing it in-house?

Spak: Many OEMs are realizing that doing everything in-house just isn’t efficient. By partnering with a CDMO like UFP MedTech, we can be much more nimble. Our six global development labs feature state-of-the-art equipment, raw materials, and a staff of dedicated personnel solely focused on developing net-new products and bringing them to market. If your goal is to manufacture a single-use polymer product, you’re going to want to partner with UFP because we are transparent, partner with you to solve your challenges, and get your product to market faster. In addition, customers can leverage our full suite of capabilities to save money. Our goal is to make outsourcing a true value multiplier, not just a cost saver.

Fenske: In what ways is your company able to aid in getting a product (project) to market faster?

Spak: Speed is everything in this industry, and we’ve built our model around it. UFP MedTech has six development labs around the world, and our teams can turn around functional prototypes fast, refine designs in real time, and move smoothly into production. Our engineering teams work side-by-side with clients to design smarter, reduce iterations, and shorten launch timelines, all while keeping costs in check.

UFP MedTech is located at Medica/CompaMed in Hall 8B, Booth/Stand G20-5.