“When it comes to the way they handle medical tools and devices, Japanese doctors really are number one in the world,” says Takai Toshihide, President and CEO of MANI, which makes world-renowned surgical needles and ophthalmic knives. Japanese medical device manufacturers don’t have to look very far for advice and help. The skill of Japanese doctors has helped these companies not only gain a strong reputation both at home and abroad, but also make significant technological advancements.
The manufacturers that never say ‘no’
As Japan and other countries experience aging populations, the demand for precise but minimally invasive medical instruments is increasing and Japanese SMEs are responding to these needs. FUTA-Q, which specializes in precision pipes and needles using beta-titanium, is proud of Japan’s monozukuri culture – roughly translated as “the art of making things” – and has built a business in response to the demands of its clients.
FUTA-Q President Futaku Ryozo says meeting the demands of his company’s customers has helped make it a world leader in precision tubes and needles.
Japan BrandVoice“Our core competence is technological solutions,” FUTA-Q President Futaku Ryozo explains. “We weren’t in the medical field at first, but a company we knew went into the medical business and we responded to what they needed. We can move into any field as long as clients require technology to produce solutions.” In 2011, FUTA-Q pioneered the processing technology for beta-titanium – prized for its strength and flexibility – and became the first company in the world to produce β-titanium tubes with an internal diameter of just 0.3 millimeters. FUTA-Q uses titanium, nickel-titanium and β-titanium to make items that are used in catheters, endoscopes, analysis machines, nozzles and needles. “It’s important to understand that these devices penetrate people’s bodies and must be extremely precise,” Futaku says. “This pursuit of perfection is how Japanese companies approach manufacturing to meet clients’ needs.”
Products with FUTA-Q components can be found in almost every country in the world, often as part of medical analysis machines, and Futaku says the company’s approach is the key to its success: “We don’t want to say ‘no’ to our clients, and we have to ensure that our products are perfect and that the customer can trust us.”
FUTA-Q’s beta-titanium needles provide strength and flexibility, and set a new global standard.
Japan BrandVoiceOnly the best will do
MANI was the first company in the world to make surgical needles from stainless steel and now sells its surgical needles, ophthalmic knives and dental products to over 120 countries. It has a range of 10,000 types of needles and 3,000 kinds of dental instruments. MANI’s tools are among the most precise in the world, which is vital for a needle piercing the heart or a blade slicing away part of a cornea. “We want to make sure that the doctors can rely on their tools,” CEO Takai says. “We are confident that if we are able to satisfy the demands of Japanese doctors, the product will be successful beyond Japan.” To measure its products against those of its global rivals, MANI holds an internal conference called “Are We the Best in the World or Not?” twice a year.
Initial technological innovations, product development and production are all carried out in Japan, but MANI’s main manufacturing plant is in Vietnam. MANI brings employees to Japan to learn the language and the business. “I want to emphasize that it was extremely important for us to start our operation in Vietnam 24 years ago and that has been one of our strengths,” Takai says.
MANI President Takai Toshihide points out that that while his company has a manufacturing plant in Vietnam, all of its technological development is carried out in Japan.
Japan BrandVoiceCreating value and helping society
“We are an engineering company that creates or produces products, and we want to be able to create value,” Asahi Intecc’s President and CEO Miyata Masahiko states. “In our particular case, this is directly related to human life. We want to be able to see, for example, if a post-surgical patient can be saved because of our technology. Having a successful product and seeing its value gives us confidence that we are able to contribute to society.”
Asahi Intecc specializes in coronary and peripheral guidewires and micro-catheters made with its original wire-forming and wire-drawing technology. One of the keys to the success of Asahi Intecc’s products has been the demands of Japan’s doctors. Thirty years ago, when Japanese doctors sought highly precise, clot-busting guidewires for catheters, some of the top manufacturers in the world said it wasn’t possible.
“Four large, foreign manufacturers all said they couldn’t do it,” Miyata recalls. “They said they weren’t able to do it from a technical point of view and that it wasn’t necessary because the problem could be solved by surgery.” Japanese doctors thought otherwise, so Asahi Intecc resolved to respond to their demands and in 1995 the company was able to produce a guidewire that suited their needs. Asahi Intecc’s clot-busting, “minimally invasive” guidewires can obviate the need for surgery and be far less traumatic for patients, and are now the de facto world standard. The company has a 47 percent share of the market in Europe, 30 percent in North America and 60 percent in China, and also has a solid business as an OEM provider.
“I have seen our products save lives,” says Asahi Intecc President Miyata Masahiko. “Through this, I can see us contributing to society.”
Japan BrandVoiceReaching out to the world
What these three companies have in common is an ability to respond to customers’ needs and convert their technological know-how into world-leading medical products. “In this field, having a high level of technology and using top quality products for optimum treatment are inevitable,” says MANI CEO Takai.
For any medical equipment, collaborations with doctors are the key for credible product development. Asahi Intecc houses a state-of-the-art simulation room for doctors around the world to test their products in a real-time surgical set-up.
Japan BrandVoiceThese medical equipment companies have made a significant impact in the world market. FUTA-Q, for example, is the only integrated manufacturer of beta-titanium needles, Asahi Intecc is the world leader in catheter guidewires and MANI makes the smallest needles and sharpest ophthalmic knives in the world. With their expansive approach to development, production and sales, the rest of the world can look forward to continued pioneering work from Japan in the advancement of top-level medical care.
Note: All Japanese names in this advertorial are given in the traditional format, with the family name preceding the given name.
To learn more about FUTA-Q, click here.
To learn more about MANI, click here.
To learn more about Asahi Intecc, click here.
