A minimally invasive medical procedure or device simplifies traditional treatment methods, causing less pain for patients and reducing the risk of complications. When Trice Medical faced challenges in obtaining reliable injection-molded components for its critical equipment, it became clear that a new business partner was needed—one that could provide a smooth, painless solution. Recently, Mike Steen, President of Trice Medical, sat down to discuss the company’s long-standing partnership with AIM Processing. With over 15 years of industry experience, Mike shared insights into how their collaboration has evolved, the value AIM brings, and why this partnership has been so crucial to Trice Medical’s success.
Trice Medical is a leader in developing minimally invasive solutions for the healthcare industry. Their focus is on creating devices that lower healthcare costs and enable procedures to be performed in more cost-effective settings such as ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) or physician offices. Among their products are the Tenex ultrasonic surgical aspirator and disposable arthroscopes.
AIM Processing plays a key role in manufacturing injection-molded parts for Trice Medical’s Technics line, a disposable ultrasonic surgical aspirator. But beyond just supplying parts, AIM offers process optimization and quality control that ensures the reliability of Trice Medical’s devices. This partnership has allowed Trice Medical to improve product performance and consistency, which is essential in the medical device industry.
From Trice Medical’s perspective, what made AIM stand out was the personalized attention they received. As a small startup, Trice lacked expertise in injection molding, and previous suppliers were not meeting their needs. AIM provided the support and engagement that larger providers couldn’t. Mike emphasized that AIM’s responsiveness and hands-on approach were instrumental during a critical growth phase.
“We weren’t getting the time or attention we needed from larger injection molding companies. AIM’s personal touch made a big difference,†he said.
Before partnering with AIM, Trice Medical struggled with inconsistent component quality and non-conformance issues. AIM quickly stepped in, bringing in their expertise to refine manufacturing processes and implement better controls. This led to a significant improvement in product reliability.
Mike noted, “That’s where AIM came in and provided the expertise, as well as identifying critical parameters to help better control the process and get a more reliable output.â€
One of the most important moments in the partnership was the tooling transfer from a previous supplier to AIM. Despite the risks involved, the transition was smooth, with no issues reported. Mike praised AIM for their proactive management, which ensured a seamless and complication-free shift.
“The tooling transfer can be problematic, but AIM made sure everything went smoothly, and we had zero problems,†he said.
Since 2014-2016, Trice Medical has maintained a strong relationship with AIM Processing. Over the years, the partnership has grown, especially in terms of quality assurance. Mike highlighted the value of AIM’s quality team, calling them a great asset to the company.
Another key advantage of working with AIM is their domestic presence. In an industry where many companies offshore manufacturing, AIM’s U.S.-based operations offer a significant benefit. With stricter regulatory requirements in recent years, having a reliable, compliant U.S. partner has been invaluable for Trice Medical.
“Many companies should take notice of competencies that are stateside. AIM’s domestic presence is a huge differentiator in ensuring supply chain reliability and regulatory compliance. You're not going to find a better partner than AIM,†Mike added.
The partnership has allowed Trice Medical to stay focused on its core mission: developing innovative medical devices that meet clinical needs. By outsourcing manufacturing to AIM, Trice can concentrate on product development and patient care without being distracted by day-to-day production challenges.
“Being a medical device manufacturer, we should be focused on the patient and making sure our product meets the clinical need. AIM’s capabilities have allowed us to avoid distractions and focus on the clinical benefits we can offer,†Mike said.
Key benefits of the partnership include:
- Reliable part quality
- Proactive communication on material changes and part number updates
- Significant reduction in failure rates and yield loss during manufacturing
- Expert engineering support to fill competency gaps
- Domestic manufacturing for supply chain stability
The relationship between Trice Medical and AIM Processing has been built on trust, quality, and mutual growth. Since working with AIM, Trice Medical has seen a dramatic drop in product failure rates and manufacturing yield loss. This has allowed the company to focus more on innovation and less on production issues, which has been essential for its continued success.
With AIM’s reliable support, Trice Medical can continue to innovate and deliver high-quality medical solutions, knowing that their manufacturing needs are handled by a trusted partner. This partnership serves as a powerful example of how the right supplier relationship can drive business success.
Want to learn more about this successful collaboration? Watch our exclusive video featuring Mike Steen as he shares more insights into how AIM Processing has helped Trice Medical achieve its goals.
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