The medical device industry in Juarez is a pillar of the economy

Amid the pandemic, the medical device industry in Juarez strengthens its effect on the well-being of the city’s economy.

Ciudad Juárez was and continues to be part of “the medicine” for many countries in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the world for more than a year.

Important medical devices and equipment was already being manufactured in Ciudad Juarez.  However, as a result of the current health crisis other critically important items began to be produced.

During these events, the medical device industry in Juarez was strengthened as one of the main hubs of medical manufacturing in Mexico. New companies have arrived, while others have expanded.

Juárez produced and sold US $2.5 billion dollars in medical devices to the world in 2020.  This figure is according to the DataMexico.

The medical device industry in Juárez gained in prominence amid the pandemic

With the advent of the pandemic, among the equipment that began to be manufactured in Ciudad Juarez included those items that are in high demand in the face of a health emergency.  Prominent among these are fans and thermometers.

The medical device industry in Juarez became the third largest sector in the city’s economy and registered a high volume of international sales. Medical device exports were only surpassed by those of machines and data processing units and electrical wires and cables.

Although the United States is the main market for medical devices produced in Ciudad Juarez. Sales volumes increased up to 315% to countries such as Germany and China.

The medical device industry in Juarez manufactured and sold medical devices to the United States at a value of $ 2.45 billion in 2020.  Although this figure is significant it is surprisingly 1.77 percent lower than that registered in 2019.

In contrast, sales to Germany shot up 315% to reach total sales of  US $933,000, while purchased made by Belgium increased 191%, totaling US $5.2 million dollars

To Ireland the sale of products from the medical device industry in Juarez increased 4.52% to reach US$ 392,000. Sales to China rose by 3.9%, representing receipts of US $50.2 million dollars.  Finally, sales to Japan increased by 0.89% and totaled US $42.1 million dollars.

Thermometers and fans were among the equipment that sold the most, with increases of 6.67 percent and 6.22 percent, respectively.

Other items produced in the medical device industry in Juarez such as ​​hydrometers, floating instruments and thermometers, among others, registered sales of  US $120 million in 2020.

Mechanotherapy, massage and artificial respiration devices reported sales of US $58.1 million.  This represents an annual increase of 6.22 percent over the prior year.

Cecilia Varela, director of the BIO El Paso-Juárez biomedical cluster, highlighted that the medical device industry in Juarez is one of the most thriving in the nation.  Production and sales in this sector have outpaced that of Tijuana, Baja California.

To date, there are about 40 companies of the medical device sector in the Juárez-El Paso-Las Cruces region, which employ more than 40 thousand people.

In the state of Chihuahua, there are approximately 60 thousand direct jobs generated by the sector.  This is from  data provided by the State Government.

More added value in the medical device industry in Juarez

Company executives, government promoters and representatives of medical sector organizations agree that the industry has a promising future on the Mexican border at Ciudad Juarez.

These groups point out that especially cities Ciudad Juárez has years of experience in the manufacture of these products.  Additionally, Juarez holds a privileged geographical location and a highly experienced workforce.

In addition to international manufacturers, the creation of “unicorn” companies, local companies that generate this technology and produce what the market requires is another objective of the industry in Ciudad Juarez.  Promoting these kinds of start-ups is in order to advance the sector and the economy of the city and the region as a whole.

For Alfredo Nolasco, director of Chihuahua Global, a body recently formed with the task of promoting the state,  considers that, in order to attract investment to the medical device industry in Juarez, four fundamental things must be guaranteed.  These are the material – which is the land.  Other necessary ingredients include services and supplies where the companies will be established, human resources, and financing and technology.

He also points out that Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua must continue working to advance the type of investments the industry requires by providing continuity, strengthening synergies, promoting technology development and developing medical tourism.

Fabián Santana, general coordinator of the State of Chihuahua’s economic development agency, highlights the fact that to date there are 60 thousand direct jobs generated by the medical device industry in Juarez and the State as a whole.

He indicated that the sector is consolidated and that now the ideal would be to make the leap to the first “unicorn”, a local company in the field that is launched onto the market and by generating domestic investment.

Julio Chiu, president of the BIO Juárez-El Paso Cluster, state that, despite the growth experienced in the medical device sector, there are some issues to resolve.  Prominent among these is the supply of electricity.

He pointed out that to continue the development of the medical device industry in Juarez it is important to give continual attention to the  issues that concern the sector. Another relevant factor, he said, is to continue to be adept at training specialized personnel.