Leading NSW electronics manufacturer Circuitwise welcomes the NSW government’s drive to encourage medical technology developers to stay onshore and manufacture in NSW. Contained in the NSW Medical Technology Industry Development Strategy 2018 released this week, it is a call to arms to rebuild the advanced manufacturing capability of NSW.
"For too long, companies have assumed it is necessary to manufacture overseas to be competitive,"
says Serena Ross, general manager at Circuitwise Electronics. "However, with smart design and state-of-the-art equipment, it is possible to reach price parity with suppliers in countries such as China. The advantages of working with local expert partners then become very apparent, including the ease of accessibility, responsiveness and trust in the quality of the delivered product."
The strategy highlights the difficulty small to medium-sized enterprises have in understanding regulatory and procurement pathways. The report rightly points out that by connecting with the right partners across the sector, this challenge becomes just another part of the project.
Of critical importance is the need to identify partners with ISO 13485 medical quality certification, such as Circuitwise.
"We have been dealing with regulatory requirements for over 25 years and understand what is required to manufacture highly complex products. Also, we have trusted partners with the same level of quality accreditation, enabling us to provide a streamlined service from concept to boxed product," Ross says. ISO 13485 accredited partners include Design & Industry, delivering industrial design, and Genesys providing electronics design.
Ross was also pleased to see the statistic that NSW is home to 37% of medical business in Australia, by state, revealing the depth of expertise right here in NSW. The strategy suggests that the industry could grow from $4.8 billion GDP today, employing around 7000 people, to over $18 billion with 28,000 by 2025.
"This statistic shows the prize if there is a coordinated effort to build NSW capacity in advanced manufacturing. We should all get behind this effort."