It’s amazing what you take for granted if you’re involved with something long enough. That probably seems like a random observation, but let me explain.

During a recent trip to a medical device conference, I struck up a conversation with one of the other attendees. He immediately asked me about my new BlackBerry, which started to ring during our chat. (Hi, my name is Chris Delporte, and I am addicted to the BlackBerry.)

I just bought the Storm model with the touch screen. My previous BlackBerry was three years old, and although we’d been through a lot together, it was about time. We discussed what I liked and disliked about the phone. He asked me lots of in-depth questions about its capabilities and performance. I thought he might be in the market for a new phone, so I was happy to oblige. I was wrong. Turns out he worked for an electronics manufacturing services provider that—in addition to a robust medical device division—manufactures printed circuit boards and other components for cellular telephones. Interesting. The conversation ended, and I went on my way.

Not so fast. At the same event, while seated during a refreshment break, someone came up behind me and asked, “Is that the new BlackBerry Storm?” She commented on the clear plastic, snap-on cover I bought to protect the outside of the phone. Another discussion ensued. She works for a molding company and was curious about how the cover fit and functioned.

In a roundabout way, these seemingly random conversations started me thinking, or—even better—helped me to re-realize something important: The medical device industry is incredibly diverse.

It often is easy to get lost in the bigger picture—the economy, regulatory challenges, price pressure, etc. As evidenced by the random interest in my phone, a number of different specialties and capabilities come together to create the complete package. To borrow a little from Star Trek geekdom, there seems to be infinite manufacturing and technological diversity through infinite combinations. The same rule applies to medical technology—and it goes to the heart of what outsourcing and contract manufacturing are all about. Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Infinite variables—inside and outside of an organization—must converge for a successful product to reach the market.

This month’s full-service outsourcing feature (page 58) is a great example of my point. While the majority of the people I spoke to for the story are considered outsourcers in some way, most of them play extremely different roles in the manufacturing value chain, often bringing unique talents and techniques to bear for their clients. Some focus on research and development, a few may be better at molding, while still others’ strengths are in electronics—some attempt to incorporate bits of it all.

“The reason we exist is primarily because medical devices are getting more and more sophisticated,” Vytas Pazemenas, president and founder of Aubrey Group, an Irvine, Calif.-based engineering and manufacturing firm, told me for the full-service outsourcing story. “For a startup company to succeed, they need access to lots of technology. And this won’t change. It will only become more important. They don’t want to build a large technical infrastructure. As a result, the demand for outside engineering and manufacturing services will continue to increase. And large companies often lack the needed skills and technology outside their areas of specialization, so they’ll also look for outside engineering options.”

One of the infinite variables to consider in any manufacturing equation is locale. In this month’s feature on Latin America, Associate Editor Tim Sohn examines how some companies are taking advantage of opportunities south of the border—and weathering the global economic storm in the process (page 96). And if the Far East is more your speed, our feature on page 108 provides tips if you’re looking to conduct clinical trials or research and development activities in Asia.

No matter where you’re manufacturing or what the product is, the choices to be made may seem endless—and a little daunting. But, though it may not often seem to be the case, having so many options is a positive, not a negative. I hope that Medical Product Outsourcing is able to help you with some of your decision-making and perhaps influence your path along one of those infinite roads. If you have questions, comments or ideas, please feel free to be in touch. Give me a call. Chances are my BlackBerry is close by.