MD&M Midwest 2025: manufacturing connections across the product lifecycle
Minneapolis brought medical technology, automation and production suppliers together for the event’s 30th anniversary.
MD&M Midwest’s October 21–22 edition at the Minneapolis Convention Center marked 30 years of the event. Its relevance extends beyond a single product market to the decisions involved in designing and manufacturing a repeatable product.
Several production disciplines in one event
Informa’s post-show release described five co-located areas: medtech, automation, design and manufacturing, plastics, and packaging. The organizer reported record attendance without giving a numerical total in the release.
Medtronic’s Alex Hill was among the keynote speakers, with a presentation on cardiac-care technologies. Group event director Suzanne Deffree emphasized the connection between established industry participants and emerging companies.
Look at the handover from design
For a manufacturing buyer, a concept becomes more useful when suppliers can explain how it will be made, checked and assembled. A conversation about a material should connect with a conversation about the process that will use it.
The show’s combination of disciplines creates an opportunity to compare those answers early. It is worth asking whether a proposed change simplifies one step while making another more difficult.
Build the follow-up around one product
Choose a defined product or production problem for the next supplier meeting. Bring the relevant requirements and ask each participant to explain the assumptions behind its proposal.
MD&M Midwest’s practical appeal is that the supplier search can span several stages in one visit. The next task is to turn those contacts into a coherent production plan with clear responsibilities and evidence.