Medical Equipment & Supplies Manufacturing

Medical Equipment & Supplies Manufacturing

Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter:

Companies in this industry manufacture medical equipment and supplies, including surgical and medical instruments, dental equipment, ophthalmic goods, and surgical appliances. Major companies include Baxter International, Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson, and Stryker (all based in the US), as well as B Braun (Germany), EssilorLuxottica (France), Smith & Nephew (UK), and Terumo (Japan).

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

As pressure to lower health care costs grows, companies are challenged to create more effective medical equipment while controlling price increases. Consolidation is widespread as larger companies look for economies of scale in manufacturing and R&D. Small companies can compete successfully by specializing in a particular market segment, or through technical innovation. The US industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 60% of revenue.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major products include surgical appliances and supplies, accounting for about 15% of the industry's revenue. This is followed by orthopedic instruments (nearly 15%), medical apparatus and instruments (more than 10%), medical catheters (more than 5%), veterinary equipment (5%), and orthodontic appliances (5%).