DEALING WITH DISRUPT

It’s no secret that many companies struggle with supply chain disruptions and stock shortages in today’s unstable economic landscape. Moreover, supply disruptions can majorly affect production for highly regulated sectors, such as the medical device industry.

For example, the COVID-19 pandemic led to staff shortages and unprecedented demand for respirators and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), among other critical products. In addition, the extensive review process of medical devices and products in this sector typically causes longer lead times for products to get approved and delivered, so even a minor disruption can cause significant delays.

When COVID-19 first hit China, component suppliers closed and made parts for vital devices, such as ventilators, almost impossible to find. This affected small and mediumsized manufacturers causing critical cash flow issues, but even larger businesses suffered from the high demand-to-supply ratio.

However, despite this climate of global economic uncertainty, suppliers like Hisco have not only overcome these production difficulties but also, thanks to their success, allowed their manufacturing customers to continue their operations and minimize the effects of supply chain disruptions.