Pathway to the Future

The following is an excerpt from a Q&A with Bangqiang (Bon) Liu, plant manager of the Suzhou, China site about his role on the In-China-For-China (ICFC) project, how our purpose, mission and vision guides his work, and his incredible basketball sneaker collection.

Can you please confirm your title? What does your role at Integra entail?

I am the plant manager of the Suzhou, China site. Since joining Integra in 2023, our goal has been to build our In-China-For-China (ICFC) manufacturing capability to better serve customers and patients in this important market. I lead a team focused on developing and implementing strategies to achieve the highest standards of quality, customer service, safety, and financial metrics and to ensure compliance with local and global regulations. We have recently finished the operational qualifications and performance qualifications for DuraGen^® Plus Dural Regeneration Matrix and CereLink^® Sensors.

Can you tell us more about your career journey?

My work experience prior to Integra was in foreign-owned sole proprietorship companies within China, across the MedTech and technology industries. I progressed from an electronics engineer in Research & Development (R&D) to becoming a plant manager where I was responsible for the production transfer from foreign production lines to China for local production, and new product introductions (NPIs) in the China market. During this time, I also obtained my MBA degree at Fudan University in Shanghai.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Global Operations and Supply Chain team?

Team collaboration and our unified mission to fulfill our commitments. As a global company, we not only need a concerted effort among many local departments, but we also need to work closely with functions and sites in other regions around the world, in areas such as product design specifications, process validation and verification, and raw material procurement. This reinforces the importance of cross-functional teamwork. Any disruption in our process will have an impact on the entire project. It's incredibly rewarding to know that the work we are doing focused on our future will directly contribute to restoring more patients' lives. All employees working on ICFC have a strong sense of responsibility to adhere to and complete production tasks on time as we continue to work towards fully operationalizing this site.

What is a moment or accomplishment in your career that stands out?

It's been a privilege to see what we have accomplished together over the last two years. We have completed construction of the new facility, including the ISO clean room, and procurement of production and inspection equipment, and materials. We have also qualified various equipment and processes, and established the quality management system. We not only met existing company procedures, but also complied with various local laws and regulations in China. Building a modern manufacturing factory is definitely a source of pride for me. The achievement of these key milestones took unity and dedication across the entire team.

What would you like people to know about you on a personal level?

I am a huge basketball fan. I love everything related to basketball - watching games, playing games, collecting basketball shoes (I have over 150 pairs of basketball shoes). This is how I relieve work stress and it keeps me competitive. I also love traveling around the world.

How do you navigate working with multiple stakeholders across different time zones-what is the key to your success?

Working for a global company requires adjusting one's mindset about the time zone differences and the other departments we collaborate with. To achieve efficiency and stay on track with our goals, requires determination and flexibility with working hours. You also have to be good at maximizing various communication methods such as emails, Teams messages, and online meetings. All of your actions are dedicated to the same goals, motivating and guiding our various activities.

What's the best piece of professional advice you've ever received?

Keep your promise. Once you make a commitment to someone, do your best to fulfill it. Don't give up easily and don't make excuses. Overcome all difficulties. You must build your own reputation. Trust is particularly important. And once you become accountable, you might notice that you attract people who are also dependable.

What are your top priorities this year?

One of my top priorities this year is the delivery of what is called product technical requirement (PTR) samples to the government for testing. This is one of the most critical milestones of the overall ICFC project.

In your own words, describe what our purpose, mission, vision means to you?

Our purpose, mission and vision is a constant reminder of the special significance of our work, who our customers are, and what we can bring to them. This has helped me clearly understand the value of what we do. To become the "first choice of clinicians and healthcare systems" gives me a sense of purpose to ensure we provide a continuous supply chain of the highest quality products to restore patients' lives. I am looking forward to when our 'Made in China' products are available for patients. I will spare no effort for this day to come!