Promotional medical products

Vibrant auxiliary enterprises propel the hub’s development as China’s leading source of promotional medical products.

Contributing 40 percent of China’s output, Shenzhen is among the country’s largest manufacturing bases for promotional medical products. This city in Guangdong province ships $150 million worth each year, with the US and the EU as the main markets.

The hub’s more than 80 exporters in the line gain from mature auxiliary industries. Shenzhen has numerous factories engaged in plastic processing. At least 1,500 molding and injection specialists can be accessed in the Longgang and Bao’an areas.

The city also boasts a strong electronics sector. In fact, it is home to some of China’s largest high-tech businesses such as Huawei, Tencent and ZTE. A number of foreign IT companies have invested there as well. Many of these facilities are clustered in the Science and Technology Park at Nanshan, or outside the core districts where labor and land cost less.

Another key advantage is Shenzhen’s potent printing industry. With more than a decade of experience in this field, the hub has about 2,000 local factories that can provide logo application services.

A supply chain for related machinery, materials and components has also been established in the city because of these mature enterprises.

Backed by all this, Shenzhen makers are able to offer a range of promotional medical products. Releases include blood pressure and heart rate monitors, skin analyzers, pedometers, thermometers, hot and cold packs, pillboxes and first-aid kits.

Additionally, working with plastic-processing, electronics and printing specialists allows suppliers to raise production and R&D capability to a level higher than those of rival hubs. Sampling time for most companies takes less than a month, and the minimum order requirement is often flexible.

Blood pressure monitors and pillboxes dominate the hub’s exports. To update their selections, many suppliers are incorporating performance-enhancing features.

At sphygmomanometer specialist Shenzhen Kingyield Technology Co. Ltd, for instance, models are made capable of deflating and shutting off automatically. Some designs can also detect an irregular heartbeat, which is a symptom of cardiac arrhythmia. Readouts are accurate to ±3mmHg and ±5 percent for pressure and pulse rate, respectively.

Joint Sensor Instruments (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd’s sphygmomanometers boast touch-screen operation. Models have automatic inflation and sleep functions, and a built-in memory that can store 60 sets of data. These measure pressure levels up to 220mHg and pulse rate from 40 to 160bpm.

The latest pillboxes from Shenzhen also have enhanced performance. In addition to an alarm feature, electronic designs are equipped with LCDs, LED indicators and adjustable countdown timers. Targeted mainly toward hearing-impaired users, products with vibrating alerts are being released as well.

Shenzhen HCG International Ltd offers pillboxes with four programmable alarms and an LCD. For greater convenience, some models have magnetic backs so they can be affixed on refrigerators. Other designs also work as keychains.

Versions from Shenzhen Xinlingnan Electronic Technology Co. Ltd boast timer and alarm functions. The majority have multiple compartments that are labeled with each day of the week. Aimed at prolonging the shelf life of tablets and capsules, many of the company’s pillboxes are designed to lock in moisture.

Apart from heightening functionality, suppliers in the hub are revamping product structures. At Shenzhen Pango Electronic Co. Ltd and Shenzhen Kingsun Enterprises Co. Ltd, sphygmomanometers are made more portable and lightweight. A number even resemble sports watches and run on button-cell batteries.

Shaped like a spindle, some ergonomic blood pressure monitors from Shenzhen Kingyield are not only easier to grip but have increased visual appeal as well.

To boost the promotional quality of products, suppliers will be introducing more features in the next 12 months.

Shenzhen HCG and Shenzhen Xinlingnan are developing pillboxes with a voice recorder and a pulse monitor. Shenzhen Kingyield plans to offer sphygmomanometers that can be connected to a computer via a USB cable.

Additionally, makers will be allotting a larger space for logo application. Silk-screening, offset and transfer printing, and laser engraving are among various methods used. The first three are suitable for any material, while the last is done mainly on metal housings.

Exporting mostly to environment-conscious markets, Shenzhen suppliers are paying close attention to safety.

To ensure that products do not pose health threats, makers are employing various precautionary measures. Pillboxes, for instance, undergo sterilization.

Additionally, companies are implementing several QC procedures. Models are sent to third-party organizations such as Intertek and SGS for nontoxicity analysis.

Product safety is emphasized further through conformance to international standards.

Most releases bear the CE mark and comply with the EU’s RoHS directive. Designs from Shenzhen Kingyield are also FDA-approved.