As the U.S. automotive industry struggles to get back on its feet, automotive industry suppliers are finding new markets for their manufacturing skills. The burgeoning medical device field is one industry ideally suited to support that industry. Precision machining, automation, expertise in mechanical and electronic systems integration, and a well established supply chain are all key elements that could feed into one of the nation’s growth industries.

“In 2008, the health care spending in the United States represented 17 percent of GDP,” says J. Scot Sharland, executive director of the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG). “Demand for health care continues to rise unabated, driven by an aging and largely unhealthy population—the baby boomers—and is forecasted to reach 20 percent of GDP by 2017. In short, it’s a growth market and we are seeing a steady transfer of technology from industry into health care settings—lasers, robots, RFID, etc.”

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