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 ProMed Molded Products Inc. will have the answers for your current development idea and help you get to the finish line faster. We spoke with Brian Reilly, director sales & marketing, at the company to get some additional insights on what ProMed does and how it may be able to serve you.

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

Brian Reilly: For those companies unfamiliar with ProMed, we will be highlighting our contract manufacturing services related to the molding of silicone and plastic components, assembly services, and production of long-term implantable medical devices, wearable devices, and combination/drug delivery device applications. Further, we will be emphasizing our services and expertise related to the compounding of desiccants, electrically conductive fillers, APIs, and other unique additives that provide value to our customers in the area of dual functionality of molded components.

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

Reilly: Oftentimes, customers may present us with certain expectations or requirements for their component or assembly specifications, but not have a strong rationale why it is required. This initiates a conversation to determine what we may be capable of providing through a validation and what may be necessary for acceptable performance and functionality. A common example is receiving a specification for a silicone component that has specifications more relevant to a plastic or metal component. Communication is key to identifying a solution that works for both parties.

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

Reilly: I would recommend choosing a company that can support you both in the short and long term. In other words, select a company that can support you with prototypes, tooling, and process development in the early stages and scale up for production once it reaches commercialization. These are paramount towards ensuring a scalable and sustainable process, which equates to success for everyone involved.

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

Reilly: ProMed has decades of experience molding silicone elastomers and doing so is certainly one of our core competencies. Silicones have distinctive attributes, and they behave differently compared to other molded component chemistries, often requiring unique processing equipment and dedicated manufacturing environments. For any newcomer, starting this in-house would require a substantial investment in equipment and facilities, as well as the acquisition of prior talent to support such an effort. By leveraging our established capabilities and services, we can provide solutions that are timelier and more cost-effective to our customers.

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

Reilly: ProMed’s size, agility, and experience. We are a privately owned, mid-size contract manufacturer with nearly 35 years of project experience, and our ability to pivot and prioritize may be nimbler compared to some of our competition. Customers generally have access to our leadership teams and are welcome to visit our development facility to connect with the engineers supporting their specific projects. Frequent and open communication generally leads to the timely completion of any project, as it mitigates downtime between project stage gates.

ProMed Molded Products Inc. is located at Medica/CompaMed in Hall 8B, Booth/Stand G30-6.