4 Reasons Why Where Your Autoclave Is Manufactured Matters Written by: Jason Thompson From your car to the food you eat, it’s important to know where things come from. The same goes for autoclaves—you should be aware of where they are manufactured and how this can impact the overall value. In the U.S. market today, there are both foreign and domestic autoclave manufacturers. Autoclaves engineered and manufactured in the United States provide more returns for labs or facilities located in the U.S. than their foreign counterparts. There are 4 essential considerations for evaluating an autoclave manufacturer: 1. Quality and Craftsmanship While plenty of foreign autoclave manufacturers are capable of manufacturing durable machines, some outsource their operations to facilities less or completely unfamiliar with autoclave fabrication. Over the life of your autoclave, this can lead to part failures and overall integrity compromises—meaning your investment is worth far less than the dollar price you paid for it. Be mindful, many autoclave manufacturers boast a “U.S.-based headquarters” where they assemble products, however, actual production takes place elsewhere. Inquire about the origin of manufacturer for both the pressure vessel and final assembly. 2. Lead Time on New Orders & Replacement Parts Foreign autoclave manufacturers cannot deliver autoclaves as quickly as a U.S. manufacturer can, and likewise cannot fill future orders for parts as quickly. Consider the complications and increased lead-times associated with international shipping policies, rules, and regulations. Each of these challenges ultimately leads to more waiting and more downtime than your lab has time for. Ask about lead time before making a purchase. 3. Service & Support When you buy an autoclave, you are also buying into the service and support that comes with your unit. With a foreign autoclave manufacturer, this experience can be more stressful to navigate than you likely have the time for. From initial inquiries to installation to training to scheduling maintenance or emergency repair visits, every service request can become overly complicated by an international relationship where hours, availability, and expectations of service and support may not align with your lab’s needs and expectations. This can increase downtime and leave you feeling isolated and stuck throughout the lifetime of ownership—considering the expense of an autoclave, this is undoubtedly undesirable. Ask who will service and repair your equipment and if they are factory-certified. 4. Support for the U.S. Economy As it stands, manufacturing contributes nearly $2 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy annually. The U.S. manufacturing industry accounts for the world’s 10th largest economy according to the National Association of Manufacturers. So, buying domestically manufactured autoclaves helps supply theses jobs and also maintain America’s prominence in the global economy. However, buying overseas does not support this goal, and similarly does not meet requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) or the Buy-American Act, formally known as 41 U.S.C 10, designed to encourage U.S. manufacturing using materials produced substantially in the United States. This can be significant for accounts/facilities/labs that are funded by monies allocated to “buy American.” Ask your purchasing department about this Act. Where Does a CSS Autoclave Come From? Established in 1946, all CSS autoclaves are engineered and manufactured in the United States. From our executive team to sales to fabrication to service, we are located entirely in the USA—and our domestic presence has provided repeated savings for our customers for over 65 years, as well as long-lasting, local jobs to aid our economy. To learn more about Consolidated Sterilizer System’s full line of laboratory steam autoclaves, autoclave parts, or autoclave resources, as well as our commitment to U.S. manufacturing, contact us today. We’re always excited to learn more about your needs. 17 Questions to Ask Before Buying Your Next Autoclave We created this 17-question eBook as a framework to help you explore and discover the exact type of autoclave best suited to your needs. Get eBook Tweet Like Share
4 Reasons Why Where Your Autoclave Is Manufactured Matters Written by: Jason Thompson From your car to the food you eat, it’s important to know where things come from. The same goes for autoclaves—you should be aware of where they are manufactured and how this can impact the overall value. In the U.S. market today, there are both foreign and domestic autoclave manufacturers. Autoclaves engineered and manufactured in the United States provide more returns for labs or facilities located in the U.S. than their foreign counterparts. There are 4 essential considerations for evaluating an autoclave manufacturer: 1. Quality and Craftsmanship While plenty of foreign autoclave manufacturers are capable of manufacturing durable machines, some outsource their operations to facilities less or completely unfamiliar with autoclave fabrication. Over the life of your autoclave, this can lead to part failures and overall integrity compromises—meaning your investment is worth far less than the dollar price you paid for it. Be mindful, many autoclave manufacturers boast a “U.S.-based headquarters” where they assemble products, however, actual production takes place elsewhere. Inquire about the origin of manufacturer for both the pressure vessel and final assembly. 2. Lead Time on New Orders & Replacement Parts Foreign autoclave manufacturers cannot deliver autoclaves as quickly as a U.S. manufacturer can, and likewise cannot fill future orders for parts as quickly. Consider the complications and increased lead-times associated with international shipping policies, rules, and regulations. Each of these challenges ultimately leads to more waiting and more downtime than your lab has time for. Ask about lead time before making a purchase. 3. Service & Support When you buy an autoclave, you are also buying into the service and support that comes with your unit. With a foreign autoclave manufacturer, this experience can be more stressful to navigate than you likely have the time for. From initial inquiries to installation to training to scheduling maintenance or emergency repair visits, every service request can become overly complicated by an international relationship where hours, availability, and expectations of service and support may not align with your lab’s needs and expectations. This can increase downtime and leave you feeling isolated and stuck throughout the lifetime of ownership—considering the expense of an autoclave, this is undoubtedly undesirable. Ask who will service and repair your equipment and if they are factory-certified. 4. Support for the U.S. Economy As it stands, manufacturing contributes nearly $2 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy annually. The U.S. manufacturing industry accounts for the world’s 10th largest economy according to the National Association of Manufacturers. So, buying domestically manufactured autoclaves helps supply theses jobs and also maintain America’s prominence in the global economy. However, buying overseas does not support this goal, and similarly does not meet requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) or the Buy-American Act, formally known as 41 U.S.C 10, designed to encourage U.S. manufacturing using materials produced substantially in the United States. This can be significant for accounts/facilities/labs that are funded by monies allocated to “buy American.” Ask your purchasing department about this Act. Where Does a CSS Autoclave Come From? Established in 1946, all CSS autoclaves are engineered and manufactured in the United States. From our executive team to sales to fabrication to service, we are located entirely in the USA—and our domestic presence has provided repeated savings for our customers for over 65 years, as well as long-lasting, local jobs to aid our economy. To learn more about Consolidated Sterilizer System’s full line of laboratory steam autoclaves, autoclave parts, or autoclave resources, as well as our commitment to U.S. manufacturing, contact us today. We’re always excited to learn more about your needs. 17 Questions to Ask Before Buying Your Next Autoclave We created this 17-question eBook as a framework to help you explore and discover the exact type of autoclave best suited to your needs. Get eBook Tweet Like Share
5.4.23 Medical Device Sterilization: 4 Alternatives to Ethylene Oxide → With thanks to Emily Lorcheim of ClorDiSys Solutions for her contributions. Ethylene Oxide (EtO) is the man-made chemical that’s responsible for sterilizing roughly half of the medical equipment used in the U.S. today. The popularity of EtO as a sterilizing agent stems from its versatility — it’s compatible with a wide range of materials, highly […]
4.26.23 Autoclaves for Orthopedic Surgery: Best Practices to Follow → In order to ensure patient safety and achieve successful surgical outcomes, orthopedic surgery centers (OSCs) need to sterilize all equipment — including implants — before use. As demand for total joint surgeries and outpatient procedures increases, so, too, does the total volume of implants, instruments, and other equipment that requires processing. Steam sterilization is one […]
2.28.23 Do You Need a Large Capacity Autoclave? [Or Do You Just Think You Do?] → The definition of the word “large” can be subjective — what one person considers massive, another might find diminutive. In the world of steam sterilization, the commonly held wisdom is that any autoclave that requires a pit or is big enough to walk inside of, is considered a “large capacity autoclave” or a “bulk autoclave.” […]
