Here we are, nearing the end of another year and what a fantastic year it has been for Meridian Medical.
We would like to extend our gratitude to all our customers, suppliers and staff for their continued support in achieving another record-breaking year for production output. This year’s output can be attributed primarily to the success of our existing customer base, which experienced increased sales in new territories. Additionally, we welcomed 13 new customers.
Changes to production to meet demand
We witnessed a significant surge in demand in 2023 compared to the previous year, leading to an increase in our staff numbers from 119 in December 2022 to 134 (as of October 2023) and a change in our production capabilities, with our cleanrooms now operating from 7 am to 11 pm, Monday through Thursday, with over half the year seeing additional shifts on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. We are also midway through the completion of two new cleanrooms: the first will be dedicated to RF welding, while the second will serve as additional capacity to support the existing production areas. We are expecting both rooms to be up and running by December.
With this augmented output, we had to acquire more warehousing space. The dispatch warehouse is situated approximately 200 metres from our main premises and serves as a finished goods warehouse and additional office area. This warehouse can store up to 90 pallets of stock, ready for dispatch in response to our customers’ monthly call-off orders.
For those customers and suppliers who have visited us this year, you may have noticed that our main reception and meeting rooms have also been renovated. This much-needed refurbishment aimed to create a more spacious working environment, enlarge the meeting room and enhance the functionality of both areas to accommodate growing staff numbers, and frequent audits and onsite visits. Our meeting room has also been equipped with air conditioning, soundproofing and Logitech conferencing equipment.
Becoming a more sustainable business
Business sustainability has become more critical than ever, as companies strive to address climate change, reduce waste and cut operational costs. To offset our increased working hours and soaring energy costs, we took the first step by installing Solar PV panels in our Cleanroom production facility. In 2024, we plan to add a further three installations, bringing our total to 320 panels.
As part of our ISO 14001 accreditation, there is an emphasis on setting goals with a focus on waste reduction and energy conservation. One of our goals has been to reduce paper usage, which we have achieved by transitioning many of our standard paperwork forms to online and printing double-sided on the paper we do use.
Continual improvement in medical device manufacturing
No annual retrospective would be complete without a review of the regulatory activities within the business. This year, we underwent 16 audits, one of which was unannounced. Five were Notified Body audits on behalf of our customers, with the remaining nine being customer audits to confirm that we are adhering to agreed specifications. In total, there were four non-conformities across all the audits, a result that we consider a great achievement.
Continual improvement is something that every business should embrace. It empowers staff and demonstrates to customers that the company is forward-thinking and open to new ideas. Staff training is also essential to ensure that the team is confident in their abilities and decision-making processes. This year marked one of our most substantial investments in staff training, primarily in our QA and production departments, ensuring that the team works to the latest standards using industry best practices.
With a fully trained, committed team, new production and warehousing facilities, and other exciting development in the pipeline, Meridian Medical is looking forward to an equally successful 2024, serving our highly valued and exacting customers.
Meridian Medical is an established and experienced contract medical device manufacturer specialising in a wide range of medical devices. We offer design, regulatory assistance, cleanroom injection moulding, cleanroom assembly, contact packaging and sterilisation Management. We have over 30 years’ experience supplying UK and European companies.
To find out more about how Meridian Medical can help you with your medical device manufacture, get in touch today by filling out our online form or contacting us on 01903 732344 or info@meridian-medical.com.
