The biotech market is experiencing explosive growth right now.
That’s good news for the B2B manufacturers who support essential research and production processes that enable life-changing technology to enter the market.
At the same time, the landscape is evolving. To stand out from the competition, it’s not enough to simply understand the complexities of this highly regulated industry. Our Director of Hygienic Markets, Jeff Blease, shares insights drawn from decades of experience to help manufacturers build a commercial strategy that unlocks growth.
Having spent more than 35 years in sales and marketing and 20 years focused on hygienic markets, what major changes have you seen in the industry?
The growth rate of the pharma/biotech marketplace has been staggering. It seems there are major announcements every month. Industry consolidation hasn’t slowed the growth of new facilities, but the cost is substantially higher than it was just a few years ago, with new biopharma plants costing billions.
Meanwhile, there is a shortage of qualified technical staff, like maintenance technicians, process operators, and engineers. Some new technologies have emerged to mitigate this problem, such as IoT, AI, robotics and automation, but ultimately the decision of what and where to purchase falls on a person and that person is pressed for time.
This makes it more difficult for suppliers to get face time with decision-makers, especially if you are a new equipment supplier or if you have a new technology to present. You have to be much sharper expressing your value proposition, and a lot more respectful of your prospects’ time. Salespeople have to spend a lot more time on networking, and their vendors have to have a much more effective marketing program than in the past.
What are the most important factors life sciences manufacturers should consider when selecting process equipment and technology partners?
Life science manufacturers are already considering the safety and regulatory implications of any partnership they enter into because they have to. One essential thing that sometimes gets overlooked is how much support a partner can provide after the sale. Can they offer the level of service you need, or are they going to put you at risk for downtime?
Another key factor is supply chain resilience. Engineering and production managers have to ask the right supply chain questions. Does this supplier have multiple qualified sources for materials, or just one? Does your vendor stock parts? Are they local or international? Do they offer technical assistance or field service? For critical items, such as process consumables and custom parts, does the vendor have a plan for supply chain disruption? Drought, famine, disease, wars and political turmoil WILL cause supply chain disruption for some industry, somewhere in the world, and the ripple effect will create issues for nearly every industry around the world.
Meeting statutory and regulatory requirements is assumed. These are the real questions that must be answered.
How are evolving regulatory requirements and quality standards influencing purchasing decisions in life sciences manufacturing environments?
This is a highly regulated industry, but regulations are different depending on where you are. Buyers are looking for products that will meet the strictest regulations they might be subject to, and they need easy access to the documentation that shows regulatory compliance.
One thing equipment manufacturers can do is stay up to date on recent, upcoming and proposed changes to regulatory codes. This is a tall task, because in addition to the FDA, you also have EMA, PMDA, MHRA, Health Canada, NMPA, and a huge list of others. Being able to proactively assure your customers that you are aware of and can meet new regulations can be the difference between making a sale and losing out to your competition.
Getting this information out to customers through your sales channel and marketing tools is critical. It’s much better to tell them something they don’t know than to wait for them to ask you something you don’t know.
What mistakes do suppliers commonly make when marketing to life sciences companies?
One of the biggest mistakes suppliers can make is failing to understand their customers and applications. You want to be able to speak confidently to customers, not just about what your product can do, but about the very specific pain points they have and the improved outcomes you can deliver. Additional data points are a feature; more information is a benefit. Faster, more accurate decision-making is an outcome, and outcomes are all that matter.
Keep in mind that not all Life Science processes are the same, so a one-size-fits-all marketing piece isn’t going to work. Most equipment decisions are made by the same group of Job Titles: Production Manager, Maintenance Director, VP-Engineering, and similar roles. But the outcomes they are looking for will differ depending on which processes they are responsible for. Segmenting your outreach by process, then by job title, makes it easier for the right information to land in the right hands at the right time.
What opportunities do you see emerging for companies serving the life sciences market over the next decade?
I think that supplier consolidation is going to create a jumping-off point for existing companies to provide niche services and equipment, and for new suppliers to enter the market. Many times, as companies grow and acquire other businesses, there are products and services that are either too hard to deliver or don’t meet the required margin standards, so they are discontinued. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, though, and this “low value” business might be a real game changer for a smaller, aggressive company.
The shortage of skilled, experienced technicians across all levels in life sciences is also changing the landscape, making a supplier’s expertise and experience increasingly valuable. Leveraging your knowledge by investing in a Thought Leadership marketing program can provide a very acceptable ROI while improving your positioning over your competition.
Finally, there has never been more knowledge more readily available for less cost than there is today. There has never been a better opportunity to really train your sales team, and easily create the tools they need to demonstrate their knowledge and earn customers’ trust. Build a training program, send field reps to the shows, join the groups like ISPE and attend the socials and the educational meetings. The best thing you can do is network, train, and learn.
Want to accelerate your growth in the life sciences industry? DeanHouston can help.
Because we understand the evolving biopharma landscape, we know what it takes to make a company stand out. Plus, we have capabilities that extend across the entire B2B biotech sales funnel, from traditional PR efforts and trade media publications to highly targeted digital ad campaigns and sales enablement.
Reach out to Jeff to discover how our capabilities can drive results for your business, or to schedule a meeting with him at PACK EXPO 2026.