Major shift to a multi-supplier fluoropolymer medical device market is underway as the Japanese company steps up production to meet shortages in the medium term with a major expansion of its Kasama plant

Japanese fluoropolymer manufacturer, best known in the Interventional Medical space for its peelable FEP Heat Shrink Tubing and PTFE Liners, has launched its Customer Charter in response to the market disruption the medical device sector has been experiencing. With many organizations negatively impacted through being single sourced for their products, the move to a multi-sourced supply chain is one that Junkosha advocates, and has incorporated in its future business plans. The Customer Charter describes Junkosha’s aspiration to be the best long-term partner by working alongside customers to fulfil their unmet needs.

As a sector, medical technology is an essential source of innovation that drives new interventional therapies. The devices and the components that enable new treatments constitute a vital market for patient wellbeing. It is therefore critical the sector responds to build a resilient supply chain that can serve the needs of customers and improve patient care globally.
Joe Rowan, President and CEO of Junkosha USA, explains: “As an industry we are facing challenging times with extended lead times occurring across the global supply chain. Although this is not a predicament of our making and there are elements of this situation that remain beyond our control, we are determined to meet this challenge on behalf of our customers. Junkosha’s Charter provides our customers with a blueprint for what they can expect from our teams. It also outlines a framework from which our teams can act quickly while exercising judgement that is consistent with our brand values.”

Customer Charter Enc. (Below)

Additionally, in response to current market disruption, Junkosha is also in the process of aggressively investing in new capacity and have embarked on a new equipment installation and validation roll-out program. Over the next two years, Junkosha will be making a substantial investment into its medical device manufacturing plant, with the aim to multiply output by a factor of three. Kazu Arai, Director of Operations for Junkosha Inc. explains:
“We have taken significant steps to meet the capacity needs that have caused uncertainty for our medical customers worldwide, by rapidly accelerating planned investments. Our commitment to supporting the supply of fluoropolymer components to this vital sector remains absolute. We recognize that a new multi-sourced supplier base is the inevitable future for our industry, and we will contribute to this in any way we can. We believe that providing transparency will enable device manufacturers to make informed decisions regarding inventory management”.

Junkosha’s Customer Service Charter: Our Promise to Customers

Building on our 68-year legacy, we have a long-standing pedigree of technology innovation and being easy to do business with. Based on this, our aspiration is to be the best long-term partner by working alongside our customers to fulfill their unmet needs. We promise to conduct ourselves according to the following principles:

RESPONSIVE

The ability to respond to each customer’s needs and questions. At the heart of this is the desire to collaborate effectively with partners and to be easy to do business with. Key attributes we aspire to include:
• Listening to understand
• Creating an agile culture that can adapt to circumstances
• Providing a reliable service by setting realistic expectations

FIRST CLASS

Doing the best we can do not only in pursuing the highest quality standards but also in every aspect of our business interactions. Key attributes include:
• Acknowledging our mistakes and providing solutions to the best of our ability
• Providing expertise based on our experiences
• Delivering precision through the highest quality products
• Consistently delivering the highest levels of performance

ENABLING

We enable our customers to take their technologies to the next level.