Supply Chain Reliability, Planning Are Critical To Patient Care

Q: How has your strategy for Mexico evolved, and what measurable progress have you seen in manufacturing, market share, or local partnerships?
A: Mexico is consolidating its position within Latin America as our number one priority and most strategic market. This is driven not only by its size, but also by the dynamism of its healthcare systems, both public and private. The private sector, particularly in the mid- and upper-middle segments, is experiencing significant growth, which is strengthening our presence in the country.

Many of our medical and surgical solutions are designed to help optimize and standardize procedures, reduce time, and lower costs, while helping ensure fair and accessible pricing for the majority of patients in Mexico. This combination of market scale, system dynamism, and alignment with our value proposition makes Mexico our most strategic and prioritized market.

Q: Medline operates four manufacturing plants in Mexico. What new investments, capacity expansions, or nearshoring-driven opportunities have emerged recently?
A: Nearshoring is having an impact, particularly in the healthcare industry, where supply chain reliability, customer service, planning, and timing are critical to patient care. We play an important role in this context. We operate four manufacturing plants in Mexico, located in Mexicali and Nuevo Laredo, and employ about  9,000 people in the country. 

We have capitalized on this footprint to provide products manufactured in Mexico, by Mexican talent, with high and competitive quality standards. This allows us to serve the market more effectively, compete with international products, and remain competitive against domestic offerings. Our diversification and operational flexibility have been key in consolidating Mexico as a high-potential and strategic market.

Q: How are changes in federal healthcare supporting or hindering private-sector capabilities?
A: We have seen continuity, which has strengthened the regulatory environment, making it more accessible and agile. Processes that were previously more bureaucratic, particularly those involving COFEPRIS, have evolved. The strengthened interaction between COFEPRIS, the US FDA and EU certification bodies has contributed to accelerating the approval of products that are already validated in other markets and have demonstrated clear benefits for patients.

These regulatory improvements have become increasingly agile and now allow for greater industry collaboration, an openness that did not exist to the same extent in the past. This has reinforced our competitiveness and the importance of collaboration in the market.

Q: How do you plan to strengthen Medline’s presence in Mexico’s public and private sectors?
A: Our ultimate objective is to ensure that more Mexican patients have access to better technologies that improve quality of life and guarantee access to healthcare. Like many responsible companies, we strive to make these solutions accessible, not restrictive. Mexico and Latin America represent a population of over 650 million people. Private sector infrastructure alone is insufficient to serve this entire population adequately. Without collaboration between the private and public sectors, this shared objective cannot be achieved.

In many of our countries, healthcare markets remain 70% to 80% public, even though the private segment continues to grow. Collaboration is still in its early stages and must be further consolidated. There is a significant opportunity in balancing competition with collaboration. This represents a substantial area of growth and a positive pathway for all stakeholders.

Q: Medline has officially begun trading on Nasdaq. What does this milestone mean for your operations and growth strategy in Mexico and Latin America?
A: Our message has been very clear: Medline’s culture remains the foundation of our success, and that will not change as we enter this new chapter.

For more than 60 years, Medline’s growth has been driven by a relentless focus on our customers, agility, and a strong sense of purpose. We have evolved not just by expanding our product portfolio, but by building capabilities in logistics, quality systems, regulatory expertise, and innovation that helps us to deliver efficiency and better value for our customers. That approach continues to guide our strategy in Mexico and Latin America.

Our mission, our culture, and our commitment to customer-centric growth remain the same. Operating as a public company gives us greater opportunities to drive innovation, scale our capabilities, and better serve our customers across the region by accessing new funding sources.

Q: What role does Latin America play today within Medline’s global strategy?

A: Latin America shows extraordinary potential. With over 650 million inhabitants, it represents a highly attractive market for any industry. However, it is also a complex market, as it involves over 30 countries, each with its own regulations, currencies, and cultural differences. Our strategy is therefore highly focused. We seek to understand precisely which markets, channels, and segments we want to participate in.

Mexico serves as our strategic entry point. Geographically, it makes sense due to its proximity to the United States, and we are able to adopt and implement best practices from the US market before scaling across Latin America or other regions globally. Additionally, Latin America has demonstrated exceptional talent. The presence of Latin American leaders in global organizations is clear evidence of this. We should not only serve this region but also export its talent to other markets and industries worldwide.

Q: What is the biggest opportunity you see in Latin America that the industry may still be underestimating?
A: The attractiveness of this region is also linked to diversification within each country. Healthcare remains largely government-managed, where the priority is to secure the best product at the best cost at the right time to serve the largest number of patients.

At the same time, the private sector has consolidated through significant investments and a growing commitment not only to accelerate business growth but to deliver high-quality healthcare. The mid- and high-tier private segments are expanding and becoming more specialized, moving beyond large general hospitals toward ambulatory centers and short-stay clinics. This evolution contributes to infection prevention and more efficient care delivery. Addressing issues at their root helps avoid further complications. This segmentation makes the region highly attractive and reinforces our ability to scale and access a significant potential market.

Q: What external risks or disruptions could most impact your operations in Latin America?
A: Global conflicts, US tariffs, financial market volatility, rapid technological advancement, cryptocurrencies, and AI  are not future concerns, they are present realities. In response, we have embraced resilience and adaptability as core principles. This mindset defines our leadership approach and the culture we promote across Latin America. The challenges we face require flexibility and rapid adaptation. Rather than anticipating distant risks, we are actively managing current ones with discipline and agility.

Q: What new products and solutions will Medline introduce to Mexico in the coming year?
A: Reinvention is a continuous process. We are diversifying the origins of our products, not relying solely on Mexico, but also operating plants in Asia and the United States. We are refining our portfolios and clearly defining the segments in which we want to compete and scale.

We are focusing on markets where we can compete effectively and grow sustainably. These actions are direct responses to the challenges we face and demonstrate our commitment to long-term competitiveness.

Over the next three years, our objective is to consolidate Mexico not only as a high-potential market, but as a proven success story, a star market within our global organization. We aim to position Mexico as a scalable and replicable model for other emerging markets in Latin America and beyond. The goal is for Mexico to serve as an international benchmark for Medline, demonstrating a business model that can be successfully replicated in other regions around the world.

Medline is the largest provider of medical-surgical products and supply chain solutions serving all points of care. Through its broad product portfolio, resilient supply chain and leading clinical solutions, Medline helps healthcare providers improve their clinical, financial and operational outcomes. Headquartered in Northfield, Illinois, the company employs more than 45,000 people worldwide and operates in more than 100 countries