PROJECT DESCRIPTION ERP/ERDF FUNDING “TOP IN THE COUNTRY”

PROJECT DESCRIPTION ERP/ERDF FUNDING “TOP IN THE COUNTRY”

This project description serves the fulfilment of the information and communication obligations defined in the regulations of the funding program.

The aid granted relates to investments in
1. Expanding capacity and production of innovative products
2. Addition of further production steps
3. Automation and digitalization

1. Expanding capacity and production of innovative products

Kammerer Medical Group expects a strong expansion of the order volume to include additional products from existing customers and new customers in 2023 and 2024. The reason for this window of opportunity is the entry into force of the MDR. It has been mandatory since May 2021. This means that in 2022, all manufacturers will go through the MDR compliance check for the first time. In this first iteration, manufacturers will be given guidance on how to adapt their processes and documentation to be compliant. In 2023, compliance with the requirements will be reviewed in the next round. This will show which manufacturers are able to achieve compliance and which are not. Customers of the Kammerer Medical Group who foresee excessive effort from other suppliers to achieve MDR compliance will make the decision at this time as to which suppliers to part with. In the following years (2023 and 2024), their products will be shifted to suppliers who master the processes and documentation. Customers of the Kammerer Medical Group have already communicated this procedure. Since the Kammerer Medical Group is well positioned throughout the entire production chain and has performed with minimal deviations in previous customer audits, a shift of more products towards the Kammerer Medical Group can be expected.

This shift has already begun and also affects instruments whose production has been relocated to low-wage countries in recent years – presumably because the new regulatory requirements are difficult to implement there. Kammerer Medical Group wants to support the (re)relocation through a systematic design transfer process that is as automated as possible.

In order to be prepared for the expected product relocations, it is necessary to expand production capacities in the aforementioned 2023 to 2024 time frame. The inclusion of the new production site and the new production machines in the customer’s declaration of conformity must also be completed during this time.

2. Addition of further production steps

In addition to the pure expansion of production capacity, Weber Instrumente is planning further steps towards vertical integration. In particular, the production steps of cleaning and packaging are to be expanded in order to deliver directly to the clinics without an intermediate station at the customer’s site, unless this is necessary for other reasons (e.g. compilation of sets at the customer’s site, special packaging solutions of customers).

3. Automation and digitalization

Automation solutions account for a significant proportion of the investment in machinery and equipment for the new location. The replacement of manual handling by robotics serves less to save personnel than to reduce sources of error. The insertion of instruments for laser marking, the precise movement of laser welding or the thoroughness of intermediate cleaning steps are examples of error-prone steps that are made safer by automation.

The installation of automation solutions represents a favorable opportunity for further digitalization. By connecting the machines to the central data storage for the ERP, CRM and QM systems, a control center for production can be set up as well as production planning and thus deadline commitments and adherence to deadlines can be optimized.
For customers for whom Kammerer Medical Group maintains a customer-specific warehouse for reasons of supply security and rational production, software can be programmed on the basis of the digital representation of the processes, which enables the customers to have an overview of “their” designated warehouse of products in all stages of completion and critical raw materials.

About Kammerer Medical Group

Kammerer Medical has been manufacturing surgical instruments and instrument sets since 2000, primarily for the insertion of implants (spine, hip, knee, shoulder). A special process is used to bond silicone and stainless steel in such a way that they remain gap-free and therefore biologically safe even after hundreds of reprocessing cycles with cleaning agents and steam sterilization. A fully digitalized quality and risk management system enables complete documentation of the manufacturing process. Together with cleaning and ageing validations, this facilitates smooth approval of the instruments in accordance with the high regulatory requirements for medical technology. In a major growth step in 2023, the Kammerer Medical Group will triple its capacity in its new production and office building at the Stockach site.

Learn more:

Contact:
+49 7771 64711-0 | info@kammerer-med.de

Be part of the team:

Contact:
Gerhard Hirt | +49 7771 64711-103 | gerhard.hirt@kammerer-med.de
Marina Weidele-Ferreira | +49 7771 64711-104 | marina.weidele-ferreira@kammerer-med.de