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25 years of Vanguard AG – a quarter of a century in medical remanufacturing

This summer, we celebrate our 25th anniversary. Since our founding in 1998, we have been on a remarkable journey. This has been marked by continuous innovation, expansion and a drive to make healthcare more sustainable. Under the leadership of our two board members, Ulrike Marczak (CEO) and Jessica Hiltermann, Vanguard AG will continue to play this leading role in the years to come, particularly in Europe.

7. July 2023

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25 years of Vanguard AG - a quarter of a century in medical remanufacturing

This summer, we celebrate our 25th anniversary. Since our founding in 1998, we have been on a remarkable journey. This has been marked by continuous innovation, expansion and a drive to make healthcare more sustainable.

Under the leadership of our two board members, Ulrike Marczak (CEO) and Jessica Hiltermann, Vanguard AG will continue to play this leading role in the years to come, particularly in Europe.

 

Beginnings and expansion

An important milestone on this path was the expansion of the production facilities in Aschersleben and Friedeburg, which significantly advanced the processing of disposable products in our portfolio.

Vanguard AG with its locations in Berlin, Friedeburg and Aschersleben, as well as its subsidiary Vanguard Medical Devices Limited in London, supplies its customers in Germany, United Kingdom and the wider Europe.

 

Innovation and Quality

As the only European member of the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR) and the only remanufacturing company in the EU with CE-certified products, we are continuously committed to the highest quality standards and innovation. The basis for this is our own research and development department as well as our in-house laboratory for microbiological testing. Currently, our customers can choose from our extensive range of approximately 1000 different products. As a milestone, the development of our own software "SPMintegra" in 2008 should not go unmentioned, which offers an optimal software solution for the control of the sterile goods cycle in the sterilisation units of the hospitals.

 

Our contribution to sustainability

With almost 3 million reprocessed products, we have been able to save a significant amount of CO2, resources and supply routes. Currently, already more than 13 scientific studies shed light on the topic of remanufacturing (often referred to as reprocessing internationally). We are committed to working closely with researchers in order to further substantiate our work with objective data.

 

Community and Culture

Alongside our expansion and numerous successes, our heartbeat remains in the relationships we have built within our team and with our clients. Our team of approximately 200 dedicated employees and over 1000 loyal customers is the essential core of our success.

Our anniversary is an opportunity to look back on our successes and to look ahead. Over the next 25 years and beyond, we will continue our pioneering work in the field of Medical Remanufacturing - there is still a lot to be done!

We look forward to continuing on this path together with you and thank you for your loyalty over the past 25 years.

Entitled "From Single-Use Product to Valuable Asset: How Hospitals Can Keep Medical Devices in Circulation Cost-Effectively", the article explains why used single-use medical devices should not automatically be regarded as waste. Particularly for complex devices such as EP catheters and ultrasonic shears, Medical Remanufacturing can provide hospitals with an additional opportunity to keep products in circulation for longer while unlocking both economic and environmental benefits.

Among other topics, the article explores why the sale of suitable used medical devices can represent a distinct step within the circular economy and why sustainable solutions in everyday hospital practice are most effective when they can be integrated seamlessly into existing workflows.

Medical Remanufacturing combines resource conservation, cost efficiency, and validated processes, demonstrating how a product that might otherwise be considered waste can once again become a valuable asset.

The full article can be found in the latest edition of Klinergie Magazine: