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 Todd Michael Paulsen, vice president at Formacoat LLC, 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?

Todd Michael Paulsen: Formacoat is a premier coating application house for medical devices. We feature a library of over 90 different coatings from 45 different vendors all over the world. We have five full-time chemists, four full-time production engineers, and the capabilities to coat everything from small-scale R&D runs all the way up to full-scale production runs. Our agnostic approach to coating means the only thing we care about is that you find the perfect coating for your device. Whether you’re concerned about functionality, application, or price point, we can help you select the perfect coating, apply it to your device, and help you get from concept to cash flow as quickly as possible.

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

Paulsen: The most common challenge customers inquire about is looking for options to coat their medical device. Many companies only have one or two options while promising more than they can deliver.

At Formacoat, we believe in finding the right situation for a coating. We determined early on that trying to force one solution wasn’t going to work. Nowadays, there are so many developments in substrates and materials that go into these devices, it would be silly not to consider all available options. We can do a coating survey, in which our customers can have their devices coated with a variety of coating options and then compare the results directly. What we’ve found is that comparing everything directly and simultaneously, our customers gain insights on the most options, putting them in the driver’s seat for the selection process.

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

Paulsen: Find a partner that wants to win with you, not win more than you. Formacoat is agnostic in its coating selection process. We don’t care what coating you want to coat on your device, as long as it works for all your needs. We’re not looking to sell you service, our own personal coating, and a slew of other services that you might not need. Remember, there isn’t one perfect coating for every device.

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

Paulsen: We have almost 25 years of experience; we can handle any product, quantity, or dimension; and we can do it faster than anyone else. In addition, we are very affordable. To borrow from Han Solo, “Coating medical devices ain’t like dusting crops, boy. Without precise calculations, you’ll mess up all your devices or get into a regulatory nightmare, and that would end your trip real-quick, wouldn’t it?”

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

Paulsen: With our years of experience and our smaller size, we are nimble enough to be able to make things happen quickly and pivot as necessary to get to the finish line. Our end goal for all our customers is full-scale production. The sooner we get there, the sooner we have products on the market, saving lives and putting money in our pockets to discover the next best thing.

Formacoat LLC is located at Medica/CompaMed in Hall 8B, Booth/Stand G30-5.