US' Medline adds $500 mn in inventory to raise product availability

“Our inventory management strategy has always been designed with one goal in mind – ensure that the right products are available at the right time to meet the demands of our customers and the patients in their care,” said Jim Pigott, group president at Medline, in a press release. "This latest investment reflects our ongoing pledge to provide reliable, superior service to healthcare systems across the continuum of care."

Medline's commitment to quality service is enabled by its intentionally balanced approach to global product and manufacturing diversification, which includes a product footprint spanning over 20 countries worldwide and expansive North American operations.

Today, the company owns and operates over 20 manufacturing facilities across North America – including surgical device reprocessing and production of infection prevention, cardiology diagnostic and incontinence products, cleansing wipes, lotions, and patient plastics. As the market leader, it manufactures over 200 million healthcare procedure kits annually in North America. Medline owns and operates over 50 distribution centres throughout North America, totalling more than 28 million sq. ft. of medical-grade warehouse space. It also owns and operates its MedTrans fleet of over 1,300 trucks nationwide, enabling one-day shipping to 99 per cent of the US.

Medline continues to invest in the resiliency of the supply chain through its national capital expenditure campaign, the Healthcare Resilience Initiative. Since 2018, the company has invested $2 billion in its US distribution centres, manufacturing capabilities, and IT upgrades to further its commitment to delivering superior customer service, with an additional $400 million planned for 2022, added the release.

“Medline has implemented significant infrastructure expansions to ensure the resiliency of the healthcare supply chain and to help providers activate the clinical and supply chain resources needed to deliver their best care,” said Jim Boyle, executive vice president for Medline. “As the operators of the largest US supply chain of any medical-surgical manufacturer and distributor, we continue to explore new solutions for the supply chain challenges our industry faces today while also preparing for tomorrow.”

Throughout the pandemic, Medline has focused on implementing new ideas to address the significant increase in demand for medical supplies nationwide, including expanding its US manufacturing capabilities. The company's latest North American manufacturing expansion is the addition of Micro-Kill disinfectant wipes to its Hartland, Wis. facility operations, with production beginning in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)