FROM THE OPERATING ROOM TO THE WORLD: THE SUCCESS OF ARABELLA FOR MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES

It was through word of mouth that Mafraq-based Yamama Zu’bi and the team from Arabella for Medical Technologies heard about Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO) and the “Accelerate with JEDCO” program.

The company, which has so far enjoyed relative success, is the only factory in the Levant area that manufactures sterile, surgical disposable gowns and drapes, among other medical products, which are used exclusively in operating rooms and theatres.

After contacting JEDCO and an initial exploratory visit, it was determined that a new strategy to address the high employee turnover rate was needed, as well as the introduction of a new production line.

Thanks to the support JEDCO and its donors offered, the factory was able to add a third line to its existing two production lines. A consultant was also brought in to work on calculating manufacturing costs as well as teach the company’s team how to budget efficiently and effectively.

The team at Arabella also sat in on workshops that targeted the company’s different departments, including marketing, quality control and accounting. They also received 16 hours of on-base coaching in order to reformulate the company’s vision in line with the new direction it was headed.

The expanded network allowed Arabella to reach out to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which financed 70 percent of the cost of a new ERP system, as well as to SPARK through the “Accelerate with JEDCO” program to work on ongoing human resources challenges. 

Arabella is now working to expand its export production strategy, which already includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Palestine, Syria and Iraq, with the goal of eventually reaching European markets.