Production

Production sites

The Carl Zeiss Meditec Group manufactures its largest volumes in Jena, Oberkochen and Berlin (Germany), Dublin, Ontario and Chesterfield( USA), Suzhou and Guangzhou (China), La Rochelle (France ) and Zuidland (Netherlands). Other smaller locations include Besançon (France), Livingston (Scotland), Goodlands (Mauritius), and Reno, Seabrook, and Peregrine (US). None of these locations is at particular risk from natural hazards.

Ophthalmological systems and devices are manufactured in Jena, Dublin and Zuidland. Suzhou and Oberkochen produce microsurgical visualization solutions and phacoemulsification systems, while intraocular lenses (IOLs) are manufactured in La Rochelle, Berlin, Ontario, and Guangzhou.

The Company’s strategic goal is to further increase the proportion of locally manufactured products, particularly in the APAC region. In addition, certain product groups are manufactured by partner companies that offer efficiency advantages as a result of their own special technologies or cost structures.

Production concept

In the production of devices, the Carl Zeiss Meditec Group focuses on the integration of modules and system components which are largely procured from external partners. In the case of intraocular lenses, however, there is a higher vertical range of manufacture. Production of these largely takes place in-house at the Company. Only a few specific production steps are undertaken by external companies. In order to reduce dependency on individual suppliers, the Company strives to extend the pool of qualified suppliers for its key components or product groups.

The production processes of the Carl Zeiss Meditec Group are geared towards implementing customer requirements in a timely manner. The Company reinforces its adaptability by means of short decision-making processes and the efficient transfer of innovative ideas to production. The emphasis is on shortening throughput times, streamlining inventory management and optimizing manufacturing costs while simultaneously increasing product quality and delivery performance.

Production planning

Production planning in Jena, Oberkochen, and Dublin is based on the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process. Sales forecasts are translated into demand forecasts, taking inventory changes into account. In order to keep stocks to a minimum, system integration is generally conducted on a make-to-order basis. In the area of refractive lasers, security of supply is guaranteed by ensuring that consumables stocks correspond to planned sales for at least three months.

The S&OP process is also used in IOL production. Due to the short delivery time expectations, only limited stocks of finished products are held. These are then delivered via a central distribution center. Replenishment orders are forwarded directly from there to the production sites to ensure fast delivery. In addition, the Carl Zeiss Meditec Group also operates consignment warehouses in clinics and hospitals, which – depending on consumption – are continuously restocked.