Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief11.13.23
For virtually everyone in the U.S., November marks the beginning of winter, shorter days, decreasing temperatures, and Thanksgiving. For those involved with medical device development and manufacturing, it’s also the month for the Medica and CompaMed trade shows in Dusseldorf, Germany. While last year’s event seemed to bring the crowd’s back following the COVID-induced hiatus, this year may be a more true return to form.
With this in mind, I reached out to a number of companies who will be exhibiting at the show to find out directly from them what they are showing off or focusing on at the event, what challenges customers have brought them, and where they see their role within the industry in aiding medical device manufacturers. Tackling these questions as well as a couple others, Ross Peterson, vice president, business development at ProPlate, shared a few insights to help you determine if the firm should be a potential services partner for you in 2024 or beyond.
Sean Fenske: What technology or service are you emphasizing at Medica/CompaMed this year?
Ross Peterson: ProPlate will be showcasing several cutting-edge technologies at the event. First, we have an innovative radiopaque marker and ring electrode alternative—Vizi-Band. This technology uses a selective coating process to apply gold or platinum to specific areas of medical devices, making them radiopaque and electrically conductive. It addresses the limitations of traditional marker bands and ring electrodes, such as profile reduction, dislodgement risk, and complex geometry installation.
Second, we're presenting a technology that enables the direct deposition of circuitry onto balloon catheters—Meta-Poly. This innovation overcomes challenges associated with traditional electrode delamination, cracking, and inflexibility, while maintaining the plasticity properties of polymer balloons.
Lastly, we're featuring our neodymium magnet coating technology. This technology hermetically seals and makes otherwise toxic or non-biocompatible materials safe for use in medical devices, thanks to their strong magnetic properties, which have a wide range of applications in the medical field.
Fenske: What’s the most common challenge customers inquire about and how do you address it?
Peterson: Many of our customers inquire about alternatives to traditional radiopaque markers, electrodes, or the sealing of neodymium rare earth magnets. They often find existing technologies have limitations. We address this by providing innovative technologies that offer significant advantages. Not every application requires our alternatives, but in cases where traditional solutions are challenging to install, a lower profile is desired, or specific requirements need to be met that are impossible otherwise, ProPlate can step in.
Our company specializes in electroplating services, including selective plating, and this core competency allows us to solve a variety of challenges for our customers, whether it's related to quality, delivery, or service where other suppliers may fall short.
Fenske: If you could give one piece of advice to companies seeking a manufacturing partner before they make a decision, what would it be?
Peterson: Beyond evaluating the technology and processes, it's crucial to ensure an alignment of core values. Our experience has shown that successful collaboration is greatly enhanced when customers, suppliers, and employees share the same core values. We recommend looking beyond the technology and focusing on the core values of the company. Ensure it's a business you'd like to form a long-term partnership with.
Fenske: What are the forces driving medical device manufacturers to seek your technology/services over doing it in-house?
Peterson: Most metallization processes involve harsh chemistries that don't mix well with other manufacturing processes, especially in the sensitive medical device industry. Additionally, electroplating is a specialized field, and expertise is crucial, making it challenging for in-house operations. There's also a capital risk involved in building in-house capabilities. Specialization and expertise are essential in delivering a superior product and service. Vertical integration can make sense in some cases, but there are areas where it's more efficient to rely on experts with years of experience.
Fenske: In what ways is your company able to aid in getting a product (project) to market faster?
Peterson: ProPlate offers a proven process to move a device concept to commercialization swiftly. With an in-house engineering team, tooling center, R&D capabilities, and the know-how in our specialized areas, we can develop processes and products efficiently. Our nimble organization allows for quick yet thoughtful decision-making, always considering our customers' timelines. We prioritize aspects like budget, quality, and performance.
We have a track record of taking products from a proof of concept to full commercialization in a matter of months. This is achieved through close collaboration, effective communication, and a risk-based approach. ProPlate also supports qualification and validation processes, leveraging in-house testing capabilities and partnering with test organizations to provide data for the approval process promptly. Our experience in IQ/OQ/PQ is valuable when taking our customers' devices to market.
ProPlate is located at Medica/Compamed in Hall 8B, Booth/Stand F20-3.
With this in mind, I reached out to a number of companies who will be exhibiting at the show to find out directly from them what they are showing off or focusing on at the event, what challenges customers have brought them, and where they see their role within the industry in aiding medical device manufacturers. Tackling these questions as well as a couple others, Ross Peterson, vice president, business development at ProPlate, shared a few insights to help you determine if the firm should be a potential services partner for you in 2024 or beyond.
Sean Fenske: What technology or service are you emphasizing at Medica/CompaMed this year?
Ross Peterson: ProPlate will be showcasing several cutting-edge technologies at the event. First, we have an innovative radiopaque marker and ring electrode alternative—Vizi-Band. This technology uses a selective coating process to apply gold or platinum to specific areas of medical devices, making them radiopaque and electrically conductive. It addresses the limitations of traditional marker bands and ring electrodes, such as profile reduction, dislodgement risk, and complex geometry installation.
Second, we're presenting a technology that enables the direct deposition of circuitry onto balloon catheters—Meta-Poly. This innovation overcomes challenges associated with traditional electrode delamination, cracking, and inflexibility, while maintaining the plasticity properties of polymer balloons.
Lastly, we're featuring our neodymium magnet coating technology. This technology hermetically seals and makes otherwise toxic or non-biocompatible materials safe for use in medical devices, thanks to their strong magnetic properties, which have a wide range of applications in the medical field.
Fenske: What’s the most common challenge customers inquire about and how do you address it?
Peterson: Many of our customers inquire about alternatives to traditional radiopaque markers, electrodes, or the sealing of neodymium rare earth magnets. They often find existing technologies have limitations. We address this by providing innovative technologies that offer significant advantages. Not every application requires our alternatives, but in cases where traditional solutions are challenging to install, a lower profile is desired, or specific requirements need to be met that are impossible otherwise, ProPlate can step in.
Our company specializes in electroplating services, including selective plating, and this core competency allows us to solve a variety of challenges for our customers, whether it's related to quality, delivery, or service where other suppliers may fall short.
Fenske: If you could give one piece of advice to companies seeking a manufacturing partner before they make a decision, what would it be?
Peterson: Beyond evaluating the technology and processes, it's crucial to ensure an alignment of core values. Our experience has shown that successful collaboration is greatly enhanced when customers, suppliers, and employees share the same core values. We recommend looking beyond the technology and focusing on the core values of the company. Ensure it's a business you'd like to form a long-term partnership with.
Fenske: What are the forces driving medical device manufacturers to seek your technology/services over doing it in-house?
Peterson: Most metallization processes involve harsh chemistries that don't mix well with other manufacturing processes, especially in the sensitive medical device industry. Additionally, electroplating is a specialized field, and expertise is crucial, making it challenging for in-house operations. There's also a capital risk involved in building in-house capabilities. Specialization and expertise are essential in delivering a superior product and service. Vertical integration can make sense in some cases, but there are areas where it's more efficient to rely on experts with years of experience.
Fenske: In what ways is your company able to aid in getting a product (project) to market faster?
Peterson: ProPlate offers a proven process to move a device concept to commercialization swiftly. With an in-house engineering team, tooling center, R&D capabilities, and the know-how in our specialized areas, we can develop processes and products efficiently. Our nimble organization allows for quick yet thoughtful decision-making, always considering our customers' timelines. We prioritize aspects like budget, quality, and performance.
We have a track record of taking products from a proof of concept to full commercialization in a matter of months. This is achieved through close collaboration, effective communication, and a risk-based approach. ProPlate also supports qualification and validation processes, leveraging in-house testing capabilities and partnering with test organizations to provide data for the approval process promptly. Our experience in IQ/OQ/PQ is valuable when taking our customers' devices to market.
ProPlate is located at Medica/Compamed in Hall 8B, Booth/Stand F20-3.