by Kevin Henry, Editor
Based in Montreal but reaching throughout the world, Medicom has built quite a name for itself in its 17 years of existence. One of the front-runners in the single-use and oral hygiene market, Medicom supplies goods to nearly 70 countries in six continents. While the company’s reach may be expansive, Medicom President Ronald Reuben believes the company’s goals are very simple.
“We want our customers, and dealer-partners to know that we are with them and that they can count on us to provide quality products at competitive prices,” Reuben said. “Medicom is a company built on relationships, and we’ve grown as a worldwide leader because of a very simple business philosophy - treating the customer right.”
Medicom’s position as a worldwide leader rests on the names of such trusted brands as Safe Masks and Safe Gauze Non-Woven, Dry Back Dental Bibs, Duraflor Fluoride Varnish, and Denti-Care Preventives. Medicom’s newest groundbreaking line of Specialty Safe-Touch Branded Gloves (see Hope & Cope sidebar) includes patient-friendly colored gloves and pleasing scented gloves, pH balanced gloves and moisturized healing gloves, along with glove solutions for high-risk situations.
“We are proud of the quality of our products, as well as the high level of trust that dental professionals around the world place in them,” Reuben said. “The trust placed in our products is something that we never take lightly.
“We’re trying to change the paradigm,” he continued. “We are offering a product line that is consolidated, much like a one-stop shop. We want to offer a horizontal and vertical line that has depth and scope.”
That depth and scope has helped Medicom establish its place as an industry leader, and its manufacturing and distribution locations have pushed the company even further. With locations in North America, Europe, and Asia, Medicom has the ability to serve its customers quickly and efficiently.
“Whether it’s the needs of one dentist or in times of crisis such as the SARS or a bird flu outbreak, we can be there with our high-quality products,” said Pamela Runge, Director of Marketing for Medicom. “We are a worldwide company with worldwide reach and we are committed to helping our customers in any way that we can.”
Part of the commitment to quality from Medicom’s management team comes naturally. Reuben is married to a dentist and she has helped Medicom form advisory panels. The panels provide input on everything from how well a product works to whether the color of the product and packaging is pleasing or not.
“I guess you could say I’m literally married to my business,” Reuben laughed. “But these panels are very important to us. Where there is a need, someone will develop an answer to that need. If that someone isn’t us, it will be another company. That’s why we must be able to respond to current needs and be progressive in our thinking. We must be able to anticipate future needs.
“We don’t believe in gimmicks. We put our money into our people and our products, and that gives us the edge that we need.”
Part of that edge comes from Medicom’s close workings with the dealer network. Since its beginnings in 1988, Medicom has sold exclusively to its distributor partners.
“Medicom is committed to the dealer network and giving every member of that network the support he or she needs to ensure effective sales and merchandising of Medicom products,” Runge said. “Our objective is to consistently deliver high-quality products and assist in lowering inventory levels through minimum and consistent lead times.”
What is the bottom line for Medicom? Doing whatever is necessary to ensure that its customers - both distributors and the eventual end-user - will become loyal patrons.
“Since the company was founded, we have believed that once our customers get to know us, deal with us, and see the value we can bring to them and to their business, they will be repeat customers,” Reuben said. “We have confidence in the business model we have established for our company and our distribution chain. We have confidence in our manufacturing capabilities. But, most importantly, we have confidence in our people and our products. Those are the reasons our company has been so successful in the past, and they are the reason Medicom will continue to grow and thrive for years to come.”
Medicom Profile
Activities
Manufacturing and distributing dental and medical supplies.
What Medicom Manufactures
Preventive oral hygiene products: fluorides (in-office and home use), rinses, topical anesthetic, prophy paste. Infection control products: bibs/towels, chemical products, cotton products, gauze sponges, masks/eyewear, nonwoven products, paper products, plastic products, and surgical products.
Incorporated
1988
Subsidiaries
Medicom USA, American Medical Disposables, Medicom Healthcare BV (Woudenberg, Holland), A.R. Medicom Inc. (Kobe, Japan and Hong Kong).
Sales Offices
Montreal, Buffalo, N.Y., Woudenberg, Holland, Hong Kong, and Kobe, Japan.
Distribution Centers
United States (Buffalo, N.Y., and Lexigton, Ky.), Canada (Montreal, Granby, Quebec, and Richmond, B.C.), Europe (Woudenberg, Holland), and Asia (Hong Kong and Shanghai, China).
Manufacturing Facilities
United States (Augusta, Ga.), Canada, Europe (Woudenberg, Holland), and Asia (Shanghai, China).
Number of Employees
350
Number of Sales Representatives
35
For more information on Medicom, log on to www.medicom.com or call (800) 361-2862.
Medicom Mission Statement
Medicom is a manufacturer and distributor of value-enhanced dental and medical professional-use supplies. Medicom is dedicated to providing a high-quality, comprehensive product selection to our customers. Our commitment to excellence is achieved through diligent teamwork and continuous improvements in customer satisfaction.
Medicom Partners with Hope & Cope
Medicom is also proud to be involved in causes that may not necessarily directly tie into dentistry. The company recently announced an initiative to work with Hope & Cope, a volunteer-based organization in Montreal which helps people cope with cancer. With 270 volunteers at their disposal, Hope & Cope pairs someone who has just been informed he or she has cancer with a volunteer who has survived the disease. This “buddy system” provides the diagnosee with a new friend, counselor, and resource. Using the theme of “live well,” Medicom is supporting the organization with donations and volunteers.
“People don’t want to just survive cancer, but they want to thrive,” said Pamela Runge, Director of Marketing for Medicom. “This is an organization that emphasizes that people can live well after cancer has been discovered and conquered.”
Part of the Medicom commitment includes a line of specialty gloves - Safe-Touch Specialty Gloves - that will help Hope & Cope and the fight against cancer. Medicom plans to launches seven to 10 varieties of the specialty gloves, with a portion of the proceeds from the sales going to cancer wellness research. These gloves were launched in Canada and are available around the world, but not in the United States at the present time.
“This is a way that dental professionals can help in the fight against cancer, and that’s the message we want to get out to dealers and the dental offices,” Runge said. “More and more people under the age of 30 are being diagnosed with cancer. Supporting Hope & Cope is a way that our company can help that age group and all people.”
For more information on Hope & Cope, log on to www.jgh.ca/departments/hopecope or call (514) 340-8255.
