MFG Spotlight: Abbott

Abbot was a part of the STREAM Global Innovations Manufacturing Day (MFG).
On the outside, Abbott is a company that prioritizes the health and wellbeing of the everyday person. From pacemakers to implantable defibrillators, Abbott works to develop and create solutions for healthcare related issues in a world as versatile as ours. Behind the scenes, a team of engineers – led by people like Brett Villavicencio, a mechanical engineering manager – works diligently to ensure that every new product is not only an improvement upon its predecessor, but a catalyst for future innovations, too.
Villavicencio has worked at Abbott in Sylmar for almost a decade, and he’s played a significant role in the cardiac rhythm management (shortened to CRM) business. As he can tell you himself, working in a company so closely tied to healthcare is both a source of excitement and pressure during times as tumultuous as these.
For over 100 years, Abbott has placed an emphasis on life-changing technologies, and that has translated into the company’s mission to help people live their best lives through good health. Part of this mission involves making medical conditions easier to deal with, whether it be through an innovative new cardiac monitor or simply being counted on as a familiar manufacturer of household brands like Pedialyte and Ensure.
Needless to say, a company that focuses so intently on improving the lives of others is significantly impacted by events like this year’s COVID-19 pandemic. From start to finish, the creators and engineers at Abbott pay close attention to trust and quality, and when the pandemic hit, they knew it was time for them to step up their efforts even further.
As the pandemic has progressed, Abbott has launched seven COVID-19 tests in the U.S., which is an important part to beating the virus. In addition to helping alleviate the pressures of the pandemic, Abbott has, like most companies, made adjustments to its employees’ work environment.
In a situation like the one we’re in now, remaining united and working together towards a better future is an absolute must. As Villavicencio puts it, everything is about the company’s dedication and commitment to its contributions to others.
“Throughout the years, Abbott’s contributions to the world in our most difficult times have fostered a sense of culture and community,” he says.
Even now, when circumstances seem dire and more negative than uplifting, employees like Villavicencio remain hopeful that things are only temporary – whenever a new challenge is presented as a result of the pandemic, they simply go back to the drawing board to brainstorm possible solutions. After all, it all comes down to how they can do their best for those that are counting on them.
“Seeing Abbott’s products being used around the world really puts everything into perspective,” Villavicencio shares. “People depend on Abbott to improve their quality of life, and we’re trusted to bring better health to people all over the world.”

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