Pure Michigan Export Program
Company: CFI Medical Solutions
Location: Mackinaw Island , MI
Products/Industry: Medical Device Manufacturing
Top Five Countries Exporting to: Canada ,
Australia , Malaysia , Brunei ,
Saudi Arabia , and Israel
In
the early 1970’s, Contour Fabricators, Inc. saw a need for foam positioning
aids in the diagnostic imaging industry.
From what started as a 3,000-square-foot pole barn, six employees, and a
powerful vision, CFI developed a niche market that has become a multi-million
dollar industry.
Today,
CFI Medical Solutions is a manufacturing powerhouse and a cutting-edge
engineering resource for original equipment manufactures (OEMs) around the
globe. Compression forming and carbon fiber manufacturing share the spotlight
with their foam and plastic-film counterparts. Six employees have grown to
nearly three hundred. The old pole barn now totals 200,000-square-feet of
manufacturing space including facilities all over the world.
For several years, CFI
Medical Solutions has received STEP grant incentives from the Pure Michigan
Export Program part of the Michigan Economic Development Council. With the help
of the Pure Michigan Export Program and the STEP grant incentive, CFI Medical
Solutions was able to train company representatives on how to sell products
abroad, schedule trade shows around the globe and foster international
partnerships.
“Overall, due to the support our company has received from
the Pure Michigan Export Program we’ve had lots of freedom to pursue
international programs we wouldn’t have otherwise pursued,” said John Lochner,
sales manager at CFI Medical Solutions. “We are taking advantage of all sorts
of new opportunities.”
CFI Medical Solutions is looking ahead to how they would
like to utilize funding from the Pure Michigan
Export Program in 2014. While their official 2014 business plan is still in the
works, the company is considering booking more trade shows around the world
with the help of the export program. The company also will continue to go
through regulations with China ’s
FDA, which so far has been a successful endeavor. CFI will continue to train
representatives to work with buyers in Brazil and the UAE as well.
“Meeting our 2014 goals will be more attainable using the
tools the Pure Michigan Export Program has supplied us with,” said John
Lochner. “ In addition to their help with training representatives, sales
training and international partner searches, the export program has invited us
to multiple networking events here in Michigan that have helped connect us to
partners abroad, we expect these networking opportunities to continue to
benefit us in 2014.”
CFI Medical Solutions believes the staff at the Pure
Michigan Export Program has been very helpful, and they expect to continue to
build connections with their staff in 2014. Specifically, export program
representatives have helped CFI Medical Solutions compose export strategies and
present them, informed them of the
STEP grant incentive, reviewed paperwork and provided administrative
assistance.
Currently CFI Medical Solution’s return on investment as a
result of their involvement in the Pure Michigan Export Program is relatively
low, but the company is looking forward to slow growth that is sure to come.
Long term projects, like the company’s partnership with China , are
still in the process of being set up. CFI Medical Solutions expects their
return on investment to increase in the long term with the help of the export
program.