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ACI Medical became a contract manufacturer … “because our vendors sucked”

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4 min reading time

Ed Arkans ACI MedicalIf you want something done right, sometimes you have to do it yourself.

So began Ed Arkans’ journey into contract manufacturing. Decades later, San Diego-based ACI Medical still makes its own products – they represent 30 percent of sales – and also makes specialized parts for dozens of medical device manufacturers.

President and Founder Ed Arkans sat down with us to explain.

Ed Arkans: Thanks for having ACI Medical today, Joe! We specialize in injection molding, electronics design, and manufacturing. We also make proprietary products.

Joe Hage: It’s atypical to make your own products as well as contract out for others, yes?

Ed Arkans: Yes. It makes us more sensitive to the needs of our customers since we go through the same regulatory and business issues as our customers.

back in the 80's when we started, we became our own vendor of components & assemblies b/c so many of our vendors sucked ... they were expensive, late, they'd ship the wrong thing at the wrong time. So we did it ourselves so we could rely on ourselves  that's what got us into manufacturing & when people I knew in other companies found out what we were doing they became customers and it continued to grow from there

Joe Hage: So being empathetic to what your customers experience gives you a competitive advantage?

Ed Arkans: I’d say so and I’m still “in there” with them: 30 percent of our sales are from proprietary products. We use contract manufacturers too.

Joe Hage: My readers include #MedDevice manufacturers. Who might benefit from contacting you and why?

Ed Arkans: I’d say those who need micromolding, thermoplastic elastomers, and insert molding. We provide design assistance and work with customers with difficult challenges (especially at the R&D level) because we do R&D on our own projects. We can share how we have overcome similar challenges from development to product launch and into production.

I think we're the only ones with an engineering staff with expertise in part design, electronics, mechanical & biomed eng. We also have a system of making low cost injection molds that are easily upgraded to production levels w/ demand for product.

Joe Hage: You were saying “you’ve gotten a lot of work” because your competitors shy away from the business?

Ed Arkans: True. For example and with a little creativity we figured out a way to micromold a part around a piece of tubing .003 ID without crushing it.

We also did an insert mold combining optical components with electronic integrated circuits using a gel type elastomeric resin. And we’ve taken on molding with very difficult part geometries and can integrate pneumatics seamlessly into devices.

Joe Hage: All your manufacturing is done in the US. Is that correct? And do you consider that a selling point?

Ed Arkans: Yes, we do it all in the U.S. We use low cost approaches that compete very well against Asian sources and nothing is lost in translation. We’re 100 percent American: We speak English and the language of product development and design. Plus, we have ISO 13485 quality certification.

Joe Hage: Yes, I see ISO:13485 questions come up often in the Medical Devices Group. Members ask if each component part needs that level of quality.

Ed Arkans: Yes, FDA requires manufacturers to ensure their suppliers are providing quality components and our ISO certification makes that job a lot easier.

Joe Hage: If you went out of business and your customer said, “Wow, Ed, what should I do now?” … what would you tell them?

Ed Arkans: I’d tell them to seek out a large contract manufacturer w/ a broad spectrum of capabilities w/ISO cert and good luck with the big guys.

So can I assume your smaller size can be a competitive advantage for you? Absolutely. we have 30 San Diegans focusing on your problems & not on internal politics.

The ArtAssist Arterial Pump

Joe Hage: Before we go, I see on the ACIMedical website, you invented the ArtAssist Arterial Pump. Tell us a bit about it.

Ed Arkans: The ArtAssist is our flagship product that prevents amputations in patients w/arterial disease in the legs (PAD). The ArtAssist pump is used at home and right now it’s patient-pay but we expect Medicare reimbursement sometime soon.

Our limb salvage rate is in the high 80-percent range for patients that can’t undergo surgery to fix the problem.

Joe Hage: Wow. And you go direct to patient AND have no reimbursement besides Veteran’s Insurance?!

Ed Arkans: We advertise in the Journal of Vascular Surgery and physicians prescribe the ArtAssist for their patients.

Joe Hage: I’ll add your website video at the end of our write-up. Ed, thanks for taking the time with me today. I like to conclude by asking, “What can Medical Devices Group members do for you?”

Ed Arkans: I’d say if your readers aren’t delighted with their current contract manufacturer, give me a ring!

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About Joe Hage

medical device marketing

I’m Joe Hage, a Wharton MBA and 25+ year marketing professional. I specialize in marketing strategy and communications, lead generation, and website development for medical device and related companies. Discover my 350,000+ member Medical Devices Group, and meet us at our 10x Medical Device Conferences.

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