Manufacturing for biomedical industry topic of May 7 forum

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Next week, manufacturers looking to branch out into the biomedical industry will be able to get some tips from people whose businesses already participate in that market.

A May 7 forum in Cleveland will offer a lesson in what is required to enter the medical supply chain. Scheduled panelists include Baiju Shah, president and CEO of BioEnterprise; Kevin Webb, business development specialist at Sparton Medical Systems; Tina Sherrets, supplier quality manager at STERIS Corporation; and Robert Schmidt, chairman and founder of Cleveland Medical Devices.

The forum, “Manufacturing for the Medical Market: Requirements for Supply Chain Entry,” will be presented by MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network; BioEnterprise; WIRE-Net; and CIRI, the Cleveland Industrial Retention Initiative.

Ohio is second in the Midwest for companies registered with the Food and Drug Administration for medical manufacturing, according to a report last year by BioEnterprise. More than half of the 625 Ohio manufacturing companies registered with the FDA are in the Cleveland area.

Illinois has 966 registered companies, Minnesota has 577, Michigan has 448 and Indiana 359, according to the report.

The event will take place from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 Carnegie Ave. The cost is $30. To register, call 216-432-5159.