Recently, Shanghai Media Group’s International Channel (SMG ICS) launched a bilingual video series, Footprints – New Momentum, New Development (Shanghai-Building the Future). HTDK, a distinguished enterprise within the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port Free Trade Zone, was invited to participate in the program. During the recording, the company’s COO, Mr. Peter Wu, shared insights on how HTDK has leveraged the advantages of the Free Trade Zone to foster mutual growth, innovation, and success.

Since its establishment in the Waigaoqiao Port Free Trade Zone, HTDK has garnered numerous accolades for its exceptional capabilities and leading cross-border commercial solutions. Recognized by the Shanghai Municipal Government, the company was awarded the “Regional Headquarters of Multinational Companies” certificate and was named a “2022 Shanghai International Trade Distribution Center Model Enterprise” by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.

With a mission to “serve global medical device brands and enhance the accessibility of innovative medical devices in China,” HTDK has long been committed to introducing cutting-edge medical products to the Chinese market. The company has accumulated extensive experience in providing tailored services to global brands, offering one of the few end-to-end cross-border commercial solutions for high-value medical devices across various specialties. Its services span the entire process, from product registration, import/export, warehousing, and distribution to commercial channel management, inventory control, and after-sales support, covering nationwide distribution channels.

In 2013, the Shanghai Free Trade Zone became the first in the nation to explore new paths in commercial system reform, offering businesses unparalleled opportunities. Bringing high-value international medical device brands to China presents numerous challenges, including intellectual property, regulatory, and data concerns. Leveraging its extensive experience in cross-border business and customized global brand services, HTDK provides end-to-end solutions that help these brands enter and thrive in the Chinese market.

HTDK’s presence in the Waigaoqiao Port Free Trade Zone has bolstered its competitive advantage. As the only biopharmaceutical company in the zone, HTDK has received strong support from the Shanghai Municipal Government. During the critical period of Shanghai’s pandemic control efforts, HTDK, designated as a “key enterprise for the supply of medical materials in Shanghai,” ensured uninterrupted supply chains for emergency medical consumables. The company maintained seamless export operations, supporting the supply of medical devices to customers across the Asia-Pacific region.

The Free Trade Zone’s policies have also provided HTDK with significant benefits, such as efficient export tax refunds, expedited customs clearance, and reduced operating costs. The “one-day trip” business model, which allows for “in China, outside customs” operations, has helped lower freight costs and improve product price competitiveness.

Since the Waigaoqiao Bonded Logistics Park transitioned into the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port Comprehensive Free Trade Zone, its advantages have become even more evident. In addition to shortened customs processing times and reduced operational costs, companies in the zone enjoy simplified registration or filing procedures for importing medical devices. This has opened new possibilities for importing high-value and innovative medical devices.

The unique “bonded +” benefits of the Comprehensive Free Trade Zone play a pioneering role in integrating the industry, supply, value, and innovation chains—aligning with HTDK’s commitment to innovation. HTDK’s Asia-Pacific distribution center has become a flagship project within the Waigaoqiao Port Free Trade Zone, offering a “replicable and scalable” cooperation model that facilitates the entry of more overseas medical device products into China.

From its early beginnings as a branch of the century-old Swiss company Diethelm Keller in China, to its rapid growth under new shareholder Warburg Pincus, HTDK remains committed to innovation in the field of high-value medical devices. Looking ahead, HTDK will continue to enhance the penetration of international medical products in China, supporting global clients in their market entry and driving improvements in China’s medical technology landscape.

As the first biopharmaceutical company in the Waigaoqiao Port Free Trade Zone, HTDK is the only comprehensive service platform in the zone capable of handling cold chain exports. Its Asia-Pacific distribution center for medical devices boasts approximately 6,000 square meters of storage space for medical devices and around 1,200 square meters of cold-chain storage. HTDK provides full-chain temperature-controlled solutions for medical device products.

HTDK transports its clients’ domestically manufactured medical devices to the Asia-Pacific distribution center, where products are stored in temperature-controlled zones based on their specific requirements. Orders from clients’ global subsidiaries are processed and dispatched via air, sea, or land to 14 countries or regions in the Asia-Pacific, seamlessly connecting with local transportation systems.