Distribution partnerships

Finding, checking and contracting the people who will actually sell the device in each territory, with the terms settled before the first order.

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When distribution partnerships are the right step

After the device is approved in a market. A distributor sells, stocks and supports it there, so you do not have to hire a local team first.

Find the right distributor
Partners sourced for your device, your customers and your market.
Agree the terms
Dealer and distribution agreements that set territory, targets and who does what.
Set up the country partner
A local partner set up to import, hold stock and support the device where the market needs one.

What you bring, and what you get back

You bring

The regulatory approval for each target market
Product information, pricing and margin plans
Your target customers and markets
The training and service the device needs
What you expect a partner to do

You get back

A partner profile for each market
A shortlist of distributors to meet
Dealer and distribution agreement terms
A country-partner set-up plan
A training and onboarding plan for each partner

A distributor carries regulatory duties too

Choosing a partner is more than a sales decision. Under the EU MDR, importers and distributors have their own duties, such as checking the labelling, keeping traceability and passing complaints back to the manufacturer. In India, an imported device needs an import licence under the Medical Devices Rules, 2017. The agreement should say who does each of these.

How a partnership is set up

Step 1
Define the partner
The market, the customers and what a partner must be able to do.
Step 2
Source and screen
Candidate distributors found and checked against the profile.
Step 3
Meet and assess
Shortlisted partners met, with their reach and capability compared.
Step 4
Agree the terms
Territory, exclusivity, targets and regulatory duties written into the agreement.
Step 5
Set up and train
The partner set up to import, stock, sell and support the device.
Step 6
Review performance
Sales, stock and complaints reviewed against the agreement.

Questions buyers ask

One distributor or several?

One exclusive partner per territory is simpler to manage and gives the partner a reason to invest. Several partners can cover a large market faster, but they compete with each other. The agreement sets territory, exclusivity and targets either way.

What should a distribution agreement cover?

Territory, exclusivity, targets, pricing, stock, training, service, complaint and recall handling, regulatory duties, and how the agreement ends.

Can a distributor hold the registration?

In some markets a local company, such as a distributor, can hold the registration. That ties your market access to the partner, so decide it deliberately and agree how it transfers.

Where can I look for partners?

Talk to us about the territory you want. For approvals first, see global regulatory.