When the smell of bratwurst fills the air and the cool wind has just a bit of moisture in it, you may be traveling between the enormous halls at the Messe Dusseldorf Center in Germany. Anyone who has visited this event in the past knows the sheer volume of attendees and exhibitors, making it difficult to find a company that may be able to aid with an upcoming design or development project.

With this in mind, MPO presents its annual series of Q&A sessions with a number of supply chain companies exhibiting at the show. Perhaps Spectrum Plastics Group, A DuPont Business, will have the answers for your current development idea and help you get to the finish line faster. We spoke with Chris Mortell, regional business manager—EMEA, at the company to get some additional insights on what Spectrum does and how it may be able to serve you.

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

Chris Mortell: This is the first year at CompaMed we’re bringing together multiple businesses—DuPont Liveo, Spectrum, and Donatelle—making DuPont an even more capable partner of choice in the healthcare market. We’ll be showcasing our full suite of custom solutions for critical next-generation medical device development including Spectrum’s advanced medical device technology and DuPont Liveo’s performance materials. In addition to presenting devices and components that have drawn on our decades-long experience in extruded polymers, we’re particularly excited to introduce our advanced catheter capabilities. Our European team of experts based at our facility in Tullamore, Ireland, will highlight a complex catheter delivery system from 2 Fr to 30+ Fr with full steering capabilities.

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

Mortell: Our customers want speed to market, and we understand that their success depends on our ability to provide them with what they need, when they need it. We offer tools to support their new product development, including a fully stocked webstore with components that are ready to ship within 24 to 48 hours, quick-turn programs, and dedicated engineering support to help cut lead times.

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

Mortell: Experience counts. We have over 60 years of experience in the medical device industry and understand the full process—from development through to scaled manufacturing. We have deep relationships with our raw materials suppliers and our global presence helps companies of all sizes ramp and scale. We see ourselves as an integral part of our customers’ teams and we continuously strive to be their partner of choice.

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

Mortell: Our customers rely on our expertise and technology. We’ve innovated solutions that can’t be found anywhere else. We also have the resources to support any manufacturing need—from small, custom-engineered solutions to large-scale production. We offer critical quality and regulatory support as well. This means we are their first-call solution provider from beginning to end.

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

Mortell: We have a powerhouse of global resources that provides in-depth knowledge of materials, applications, components, and manufacturing solutions to startups and OEMs alike. We are agile and responsive, thanks to our manufacturing locations in key medical device hubs that are both geographically and culturally close to our customers.

Spectrum Plastics Group, A DuPont Business, is located at Medica/CompaMed in Hall 8B, Booth/Stand P16.