Biotronik’s industry leadership begins in the heart
by Seamus Kennedy

Biotronik, an OBA member, will soon enter fully machine-driven automated manufacturing on its Lake Oswego production floors. Two commitments strengthen Biotronik’s ability to sustain its careful development of technology: its unfailing adherence to accuracy and its dedication to training. The exclusive alliance with Oregon Bioscience Association's BioPro Workforce Training factors into Biotronik’s business leadership.

Local manufacturing and leading-edge processes support product excellence

As one of the world’s major makers of implantable cardiac devices, Biotronik and its engineering arm, Micro Systems Engineering, are focused on product advancement. Their long-term quality commitment is reflected in their pacemakers and defibrillators, and is reiterated in the company slogan: “Excellence for life.”

Biotronik is proud of its local production. Costs are contained with increased manufacturing efficiency, and with shared communications with its Swiss and German divisions. Bob Erb, vice president of operations for Micro Systems Engineering, is directing the march to completely automated manufacturing. And BioPro training is at the heart of that effort.

BioPro’s lean manufacturing classes provide a quick route to efficient production

Bob notes that steps toward automated manufacturing are already in place with programs that support lean manufacturing, where any expense which does not serve to support timeliness, quality and cost, are examined and removed from the production process. As a result, production time is streamlined, quality is improved and manufacturing costs are measurably reduced.

Following this is a focus on lean manufacturing tools, such as cycle time, work orderliness, the Five S and value-stream mapping. Each of these implementations leads to reductions in buffered schedules, inventories and workarounds, which are manufacturing problems that contribute to inefficiencies and increased costs. Ultimately, customers benefit directly from lean manufacturing.

“The lean manufacturing classes (lean, 5S, and VSM) have had a significant impact in our production area,” said Bob. “After putting many of our production operators, supervisors and engineering through the classes we began an initiative to improve the manufacturing line. The results have been excellent. We now have operator teams identify improvement opportunities and perform the improvement tasks themselves. Engineers and supervisors have done numerous product flow and work improvement projects where the skills came right out of these classes.”

Impressive results lead to sustained growth

The resulting successes Biotronik has achieved are impressive. Biotronik is currently 99% complete with data automation. Moreover, of the thousand components that go into an implant pacemaker, only two are not in automation with the current assembly production. The company is also focused on reducing manufacturing cycle time by 40%.

The assembly machinery runs almost as long as a football field, and by design can allow visual inspection of the product as it is assembled. Visitor views show assemblies being meticulously produced at rates far beyond what human hands could achieve.

The gain from these machine and production improvements is on the forefront of the company’s progress in the marketplace. Each year for the past five years, Biotronik has sustained a 15% to 20% increase in growth.

Moving forward, Biotronik’s newest production machinery is three times faster than previous capacities. Additionally, this new machinery, as it begins production, will also provide fully automated testing before each product leaves the production line. This testing is more accurate, and is another step towards complete automation manufacturing.

Biotronik relies on BioPro rather than in-house training department

Even with these advances in production processes, Biotronik does not have a training department. Jennifer Kerns, director of human resources, explains that this is unusual for a company of 700 people, and especially for one that is focused on leading with the latest manufacturing, engineering and scientific know-how.

Instead, Jennifer exclusively teams with Oregon Bioscience Association’s BioPro training and considers the resulting training a “great tool."

OBA provides on-site training for Biotronik, and Bob notes, "Training locally is great. In the past, we've had to send people to other cities." OBA’s BioPro now often attracts people from other Biotronik divisions to Portland for their training.

“We hosted project management training at Biotronik,” Bob adds. “The turnout was strong and all involved thought the training was excellent and BioPro flexible for allowing us to take half-day classes so as not to disrupt our workday too badly."

Yet Bob also comments, “We also value the mixed-companies training classes because of the exposure to other companies and their cultures.” And the mandate for education is supported by example. Bob proudly notes he has already taken five classes through BioPro training.

While keeping competitive in a technology-driven industry, Bob states, “Training is a big part of the future.” No doubt that Dan Hill, BioPro workforce training director, is poised to meet those future needs.



Seamus Kennedy is a business communicator, who deals with effective packaging of verbal, nonverbal, written and visual communication. What we say and how we say it can add strength to even our clearest message, and Seamus helps individuals and organizations to bolster their ability to get their message across. His public speaking and presentation classes, for example, have garnered the attention of local press. skennedy@imagina.com