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 ODU GmbH & Co. KG will have the answers for your current development idea and help you get to the finish line faster. We spoke with Mathias Wuttke, business development manager medical, at the company to get some additional insights on what ODU does and how it may be able to serve you.

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

Mathias Wuttke: This year, we are again focusing on the requirements of the medical market, such as MDR, touch protection, and EMI safety. New technologies for this market are mainly data and video transmission via fiber optics or special data connections with connector solutions suitable for the medical market.

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

Wuttke: One of the most common questions from customers is how to combine high and low voltage in a rugged, small connector. We have solutions across our product portfolio—from plastic and metal circular connectors to modular connectors.

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

Wuttke: Look for a connector expert that can think outside the box, especially for the medical sector, and add value to the development of connectors and assemblies that meet or exceed current standards.

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

Wuttke: More than 80 years of experience in connectors speaks for itself, as does our proximity to customers in the search for solutions. Our knowledge makes us highly innovative.

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

Wuttke: Our global presence allows us to deal with customers directly and locally. We have manufacturing facilities in several locations to ensure short distances to their operations. Our knowledge and the modular structure of our connector solutions make us very flexible and fast. Our customers appreciate these aspects.

ODU GmbH & Co. KG is located at Medica/CompaMed in Hall 8A, Booth/Stand P19.