"We Are Proud That Our Growth Creates Jobs in Israel’s Periphery"

Resonetics has positioned itself in recent years as a leading player in the field of developing and manufacturing medical devices. The company specializes in advanced technological solutions and provides engineering, prototyping, development and production services for start-ups and various companies in the medical technology industry (MedTech). Throughout its years of activity, Resonetics has helped develop a long line of cutting-edge medical devices in its centers around the world, including the Israeli factory located in Or Akiva.

"Our mission is to lead on a global level in aspects of engineering, prototyping, product development and micro-manufacturing of medical technologies," says Matthew Robida, Senior Vice President of Resonetics. "The basic aim of Resonetics is to bring about a positive change in the lives of patients, so our work is directed to developing products that will achieve this goal worldwide. We want companies to be able to turn to us for assistance when they need to quickly develop new and innovative medical devices, and when they need a reliable manufacturing partner. Resonetics invests substantial resources in developing focused production capabilities and in establishing technical expertise so that we can solve complex production problems and produce the parts that no other company can solve or
produce."

What does the company’s portfolio of solutions and services look like?
"Resonetics focuses mainly on helping medical technology companies at the beginning of a new project – building prototypes and product development, and later on producing components, assemblies and finished products. We have invested heavily in a network of Lightspeed Labs with dedicated resources for rapidly producing prototypes and process development. Each of the laboratories has technological expertise and is located in one of the main hubs of the MedTech industry. Our staff knows how to assist customers at every stage of product development – from basic concept development to mass production.

"After the products developed in a Lightspeed Lab are ready for commercial launch, we have a standard process for transferring production to a team that specializes in this. Thanks to our substantial resources in both personnel and equipment, we are able to increase our production scale to meet customer demands. In addition, Resonetics has diversified its production solutions for processing metals and polymers."

Direct communication between engineers
So why do companies decide to outsource their development processes in partnership with Resonetics instead of doing the development work independently? "Different types of companies come to us for different reasons," answers Robida. "When it comes to large companies, we can offer speed and flexibility to the development process, which is not always easy for them to do in-house. In addition, we can expand the capabilities of their in-house staff or bring focused expertise related to a certain type of device. For young startups, or companies with smaller staffs, we can fully manage the product development process. Our product development team collaborates with companies at all stages of the development lifecycle, so we can help different projects where they are needed.

"We have an experienced team of more than 50 engineers with focused expertise in the area of interventional devices, especially related to structural heart, cryotherapy, and various vascular applications," he adds. "We strive to cooperate with our customers, which is why we prioritize direct communication between engineers and open dialogue.

"For companies looking to quickly produce different designs for a product, we offer a Lightspeed Lab day where customers can come to our factory for a joint development experience. They benefit from an engineer at their disposal, a production technician and equipment that can produce a range of designs throughout the day."

In what ways does Resonetics help its customers with production solutions?
"Our goal is always to develop a repeatable process, which can quickly lead to production. When we have customers with a new product, the engineers from the Lightspeed Lab spend time reviewing the drawings and conduct an open dialogue with them regarding the design’s impact on future production. During the development process, our team knows that the ultimate goal is commercial production, and therefore we place the highest priority on reliable processes that can be replicated on a large scale."

How does the company maintain its leading position with regard to new technologies?
"Technological leadership is at the core of our business and we treat speed and innovation as basic principles in our operational culture. We have a group that is made up of technological experts in various fields, whose goal is to accelerate our in-house research and development ventures. We invest in improving our existing capabilities and developing completely new ones. We also have an in-house instrumentation and automation team that designs and builds customized equipment according to our needs, and this allows us to develop new production processes and advance existing processes. Resonetics also focuses on investing resources in automation in order to create dependable and efficient production processes, which will provide our customers with reliable components with consistent production quality. Our Israeli factory recently received several investments in the field of automation, including in advanced test equipment."

Unique processing capabilities
Resonetics’ factory in Israel provides solutions for laser cutting, laser welding, thermal treatments, surface treatments, assembly in a clean environment and braiding. "We assist with the customers' products, from the construction of prototypes to production, including the assembly of finished products in a clean room environment," says Daniel Hazanov, Vice President of Operations at Resonetics Israel. "Our staff has extensive experience in cutting various metals and alloys such as nitinol, cobalt-chromium, stainless steel and titanium. We manufacture components for a wide range of medical uses, such as neurological diseases, heart diseases and ophthalmology. Here too we offer construction of prototypes and production mass, in accordance with ISO standards and FDA license requirements."

Hazanov explains Resonetics’ decision to invest in Israel in terms of the innovation capabilities that are available in the country. "The ecosystem in Israel is very innovative and has led to the creation of some of the best-selling medical devices in the industry. Israelis enjoy a reputation for strong personalities and an affinity for innovation. The nitinol processing capabilities in our factory were also a significant factor in the decision to invest in Israel. Nitinol is a critical raw material in the medical products industry and it's not easy to work with. The team here has developed some unique processing capabilities based on the requirements of the medical startup community in Israel."

Is there synergy between your capabilities and Resonetics’ other centers?
"Yes. For example, we can cut a nitinol frame for a medical device, which is then covered with polymer and undergoes laser drilling at the Resonetics plant in New Hampshire, USA."

Improving processing capabilities
The company's presence in Israel began with the purchase of STI Laser Industries in 2018. This was a strategic step for Resonetics, after it recognized Israeli innovation in everything related to the medical device industry and worked to establish a factory in Israel that could support the local industry. "STI Laser was the right choice because it enjoyed an excellent reputation when it comes to working with companies in laser cutting of nitinol and cobalt chromium components, especially for uses in the treatment of heart disease and neurological diseases," explains Hazanov. "Since then, Resonetics has also invested in another Israeli company called Medibrane, which has developed innovative technology for polymer coating and coverings of medical devices. Like STI Laser, Medibrane is also very development-oriented and supports the medical technology industry in Israel and around the world."

The Resonetics factory in Israel is located in Or Akiva, in an area that is not necessarily considered a center of innovation and technology. How does this location affect the company's activity?
"We are proud that our factory is located in Israel’s periphery and that our growth creates new jobs in the region. The founder of STI Laser, Tobi Sivan, chose Or Akiva specifically to create more jobs in areas that are relatively far from the center and economically weak. Our staff work extremely hard and take our activity very seriously. Our products are intended for critical medical devices and our customers rely on them. We greatly value our staff and want to provide them with the safe and positive environment in which they can succeed."

What about the future? What are the plans for the continued operation of the Israeli factory?
"The factory has a very promising future. We are developing several medical devices with strategic customers that will have a significant impact on the industry and the expansion of the Israeli factory. We have invested heavily in the factory's infrastructure and we are ready to take on additional projects, which will allow us to create more jobs in the region."

How does Resonetics see its future in Israel?
Robida: "Resonetics is committed to continuing to invest in its operations in Israel. Since our original purchase of the plant in Israel, we have expanded both in size and in our processing capabilities. We built a second building in 2020 to support our continued growth and have nearly doubled our workforce. In addition, we are improving our processing capabilities by adding new and advanced equipment, including automated electropolishing and fast laser processing machines, specially designed and built by the company's equipment team. We have also enlarged our clean rooms to meet the demand for product assembly in the variety of our programs related to the next generation of medical products, which are expected to generate significant growth in the coming years. We are happy to continue creating jobs in Israel while supporting the needs of the vibrant, local and international MedTech industry."

Increased consolidation in the medical industry
"The world of MedTech has changed significantly in recent years, especially following the global pandemic" says Matthew Robida. "As elective medical procedures were halted, the result was a short-term drop in demand for related devices. And later, when demand recovered, it brought with it challenges along the entire supply chain. Recently, there has been increased consolidation in the industry, with larger companies acquiring innovative companies and technologies with the aim of expanding their range of products. Regulatory requirements became more stringent, which lengthened the schedules and increased the costs of obtaining regulatory approval. This change made it difficult for start-ups to succeed and thus accelerated the consolidation."

In collaboration with Resonetics