My thoughts on MBOTs Sanmina partnership
Just my 2 cents after today’s PR…
People are focusing on the manufacturing agreement, but I think the choice of partner is almost as interesting as the announcement itself.
Sanmina isn’t some random contract manufacturer. They’re one of the most respected high-end manufacturing companies in the world, especially in medical devices, aerospace, defense, communications and other highly regulated industries.
They’ve manufactured products for major companies over the years, including NVIDIA, Cisco, GE HealthCare, Siemens Healthineers, Philips, Medtronic, Abbott and IBM. Their reputation is built on quality, reliability and the ability to scale production for complex products.
That’s why this partnership caught my attention.
Obviously nobody outside the company knows the expected production volumes, but I personally find it hard to believe a company like Sanmina gets involved just to manufacture 100 LIBERTY systems.
Remember, Liberty isn’t a traditional robot where the company only sells a console. The real recurring revenue comes from the single-use robotic device that’s required for every procedure.
If adoption continues to accelerate, you’re no longer talking about hundreds of units. You could eventually be looking at tens of thousands of disposable units per year, maybe even more. That’s exactly the kind of manufacturing scale where a company like Sanmina adds real value.
Another thought, and this is purely speculation. Sanmina also offers lifecycle services like reverse logistics, refurbishment and recycling for many products. Obviously the disposable Liberty itself can’t simply be reused because it’s a sterile single-use medical device. But if those disposables contain valuable electronics or materials, I wonder whether a recovery or recycling program could eventually make economic sense. Nothing in today’s filing suggests this is planned, it’s just something that crossed my mind.
Overall, signing with a manufacturer of Sanmina’s caliber feels like another signal that MBOT is preparing for something much bigger than a handful of initial installations.
Just my thoughts. Curious to hear what everyone else thinks.