In today’s global economy, businesses can find the products and services they need in many different countries around the world. However, when it comes to high standards—and we mean medical-grade high standards—, and trusting businesses to adhere to them, there are some distinct advantages to working with a U.S. based coating company.
1. U.S. Government Environmental Protection Regulations Drive High Standards
Coatings companies outside the U.S. may or may not be required to comply with environmental standards. However, few face the kind of scrutiny that U.S. companies do. And if they do, it can be challenging for them because safety in the advanced coatings industry requires a significant investment in infrastructure and training—one that many companies aren’t willing, or able to make.
The chromium coatings a company applies to medical tools, instruments, and devices is 100% safe for the medical professionals who use them and the patients they use them on.
2. OCEA Ensures Products Are Thoroughly Tested
As explained on its website, the U.S. Office of Clinical Evidence and Analysis “provides policy and program support regarding clinical trials, biostatistics, real-world evidence, epidemiological analysis and outreach and collaboration with hospitals and other external stakeholders.”
More specifically to the medical device industry, OCEA “supports device reviews that require expert clinical investigation and real-world evidence analysis.” That means that organizations working with U.S. based advanced coatings providers can rest assured that everything about the coatings used and the end products produced are assessed.
That may or may not be true in other countries. Having coatings applied in locations where less oversight is required can lead to a much higher risk of coating or device failure and all the liability that stems from that.
3. U.S. Supply Chains Are Resilient
It is a serious problem for medical device manufacturers if supply chain issues make it difficult or impossible for their overseas coatings supplier to complete work on schedule or deliver materials or products on schedule.
For example, the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted businesses in many ways didn’t have a significant effect on ME-92 Operations. Raw materials and devices needing coatings continued to arrive. Aggressive sanitization protocol was established and implemented to minimize the risk of virus transmission. Multiple inspections were performed by regulation agencies to assure best practices were employed. ME-92 service schedule was unaffected by the global pandemic.
Once your devices and equipment arrive at our location in Rhode Island, USA, you can be rest assured that we’ll get started on your specific coating needs right away.
4. Fair Labor Laws are Strictly Enforced in the U.S.
Employee safety and fair rights are taken very seriously in the U.S. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 enforces fair pay, overtime pay, and the employment of people over the age of 14. There are also laws that have passed in the US to pay equally amongst all races and genders and to not discriminate based on age, gender, race, or disability. There is also a law that enforces workplace safety that requires employers provide a safe work environment and compensation if anything were to happen while at work. What’s best about the workforce in the U.S. is the laws are simply the foundation or baseline of the work environment in the country.
The workforce in the U.S. is strong and competitive, therefore companies throughout the country lean into additional benefits to attract and retain the best talent. What’s the main benefit of these benefits for medical device manufacturers? Well, it means that the individual people that are there in the beginning of your partnership, will most likely be there for years to come. This provides efficiency and trust in the process for every project you do with a U.S. based coatings company.
5. Time Zone Issues Don’t Exist with U.S. Based Companies
When a U.S. based company needs to talk with their representative at a coatings company that’s outside the U.S. and that person has gone home for the evening, that could cause a problem. Engineers and manufacturers based in and around the USA have the benefit of at most a time difference of three hours if they choose to work with a U.S. based coatings company.
Making Life Easier for Medical Device Manufacturers That Need Advanced Coatings
Can companies outside the U.S. apply coatings to medical devices in a way that meets U.S. standards and the manufacturer’s design specs and timeline? In some cases, they can.
However, when it comes to making the process as simple and streamlined as possible while still producing exceptional finished products, it’s hard to compete with U.S. based providers. The convenience of interactions with companies in the U.S. and the consistent high quality from a provider like ME-92 Operations make life easier for everyone involved.
Reach out today to learn more about how your coatings provider can surpass being a provider but become a partner.