So, you need to order custom medical products but aren’t quite sure where to start. We’re here to help. There are numerous manufacturers that specialize in specimen collection devices, and that’s why it’s so important to do some research to find the best one for your needs. Before diving into the vetting process, let’s first discuss the basics.

What are custom medical products?

From swabs, to applicators, single-use medical devices, tongue depressors, and more, custom medical products are an important need for many medical businesses. You can customize these products by working closely with a manufacturer to define quantity, design needs, and costs to ensure you’re getting just what you need. 

Chances are, if you’re reading this blog, you’ve already established your medical product needs and are looking to move forward with finding the right manufacturer. Which leads us to…

Choosing your best-fit medical products manufacturer

To choose the right manufacturer for your medical product needs, it’s first important to clearly define your non-negotiables and expectations and then do some thorough research to identify the right team for the job. By looking for a custom medical products manufacturer, it’s likely that you have a clear view of what your needs are and that you need at least 100,000 units to get started with customization. With this in mind, consider asking yourself:

• What is your intended use, packaging needs, and labeling requirements for my product?
• Do you need customized packaging?
• Do they have best practices in place to develop and maintain a high-quality product?
• Do they provide verification and documentation of raw materials and machine settings?
• Do they conduct visual examinations of finished goods for correct raw materials, labels, packaging, dimensions, contamination, and tip adhesion?
• What is your target acquisition cost?
• Will this be a co-branded or private labeled product? 

• Is the manufacturer someone you can trust to get the job done correctly and efficiently (e.g., are they quick to respond to your requests or questions? Can you count on them to deliver products on time? etc.)
• What is the company’s policy if there is any issue with the products purchased?
• Are results documented? If so, for how long are records maintained? 

After answering these questions, dive a little deeper into understanding custom solutions, manufacturer value-add capabilities, and costs.

If you need custom solutions…

You'll need to find a company with a skilled research and development team that can provide prototyping. You should also consider whether the manufacturer has specialists, such as microbiologists or technologists, from your industry on staff. 

The development process should begin with a team of engineers, sales, and product specialists, and feature consultation with experts in the respective fields to make sure they have it right. With this kind of attention to detail, your resulting new product should create a buzz in the market with customers and competitors alike. 

If you require value-add capabilities…

You can save yourself time and money if the manufacturer has a printing and labeling department. Ask if they can handle printing, bar coding, and custom boxing in-house. This will allow for seamless transitions between prototyping, production, and post-production. Beyond the time and cost savings, this capability can ensure the protection and privacy of your brand name and intellectual property. Value-added capabilities like these will free up your team to focus on things like marketing and sales.

If cost is an important factor…

Having a new product manufactured is costly to begin with—make sure the company clearly communicates with you about fees. Creating custom configurations, printing custom labels, and formulating custom media is generally more expensive than purchasing stock products. Just be sure the quality is worth any added cost. Here are a few potential sources of extra fees you can ask about:

• Retooling the project
• Sterilization
• Multi-color print

While it might take a little more time upfront, by clearly outlining these needs, you’ll have a clearer understanding of if a manufacturer is a high-quality, dependable partner. And, the great news is, once you identify the right-fit partner, you can start your customization and ordering process!

Why buy customized medical products?

Many companies find value in product customization. But is it right for you? For reference, 100,000 units minimum is the standard when it comes to customizing medical products. With this in mind, and deciding when and how to get your name in front of customers, the choice to customize can be a tricky proposition. Should you customize your swabs and other single-use medical products? What are the options? Which is best for your business? Let’s find out!

Why customize your product?

Maybe you need a custom media for a special application. Or maybe you just want your logo in the hands of lab techs around the globe. Of all the reasons to customize your product, these are two of the big ones: 

1. To increase brand recognition for your new product
2. To assure a reorder; familiarity with your brand builds confidence and loyalty

Why hold off on customization?

Customization is not the right choice for everyone. Here are a couple of reasons you should put customized medical products or kits on the back burner:

• Your brand has no following: It’s important to establish brand awareness and loyalty before creating customized products.
• Volume is questionable: Your volume requirements are too low to meet minimums/low volume cost is too high.
• The jury’s out on product success: You should wait until you have assurance the product is successful before identifying it as yours.

Why consider co-branding?

Unlike custom private labeling, co-branding is an arrangement that allows two companies to combine the strength of their respective expertise and offer a product branded by both. When you co-brand with a well-known manufacturer, your brand benefits from its association with that manufacturer's standing in your industry. When a manufacturer co-brands with you, they benefit from your endorsement.

Here are three reasons to consider co-branding: 

• Your brand is new: Identifying with a known brand brings confidence to the end user.
• You need market validation: Partnering with a known brand raises status and ensures confidence. 
• Meeting market requirements: Your manufacturer brings certifications needed to meet market requirements.

When is customization worth the investment?

Creating custom configurations, printing custom labels, and formulating custom media is generally more expensive than purchasing stock products. But many times, the investment in customization pays dividends in long-term ROI. If your business meets any of the criteria below, it's likely worth it to invest in a custom solution or private label:

• Your market is reaching for or has reached outside your region
• You have a patented product
• Your business model is based on end users reordering from you
• You have established your place in your market and want to differentiate your product from ones of lesser value
• You require large volumes of product that warrant meeting high minimum requirements

When working with a trusted manufacturer - like Puritan - you can rest assured that your custom request will be worth the wait and will be of the highest quality with our unwavering commitment to that standard. 

Working with Puritan for your Custom Medical Products Order

Puritan, established in 1919, has evolved to become the premier custom manufacturer for your needs. A registered US FDA Medical Device Manufacturer since 1978, we've become known worldwide as the most trusted manufacturer of swabs. Our winning team includes a well-equipped and staffed formulating lab, state-of-the-art printing capabilities, and a talented R&D team to develop your custom product. 

Puritan has experience in all areas of customization, so we can work through these details over a few conversations. Simply tell us what you want to accomplish, and we’ll develop a product configured to your specifications. 

Once the project is in motion you can relax, knowing the work is in capable hands. Art files and prototype samples (note: please ask if costs will be incurred to produce prototype quantities/samples) will be provided for your review and approval before the project moves forward. Finally, once all is as expected and approved, pricing will be finalized and production can be scheduled. Things to keep in mind:

• Clarity is key. Everything, from our first conversation to the finished product, can be streamlined when project details are clear at the outset.
• Retooling is costly. An estimate will bring your project into focus and help you prioritize features.
• Sterilizing products adds time. Plan on at least 12 weeks and additional cost for sterile products and their special markings.
• Color adds cost. Multi-color print is effective, just be sure to budget for the extra expense.
• Puritan is a manufacturer. We can develop a specimen collection and transport device and provide it as one unit, bulk-packed and shipped to your specified destination. We are not a fulfillment house and so don't handle the logistics of serial and/or multiple shipments to end users. We will be happy to help you identify a business that provides this service.
• Puritan works with resellers and OEMs. We'll sell to those that provide a current resale certificate for the destination location. If you cannot provide this certification, we'll help you identify a reseller that will work with you to facilitate the purchase of your custom product.

We look forward to hearing from you. Contact Puritan today!