Digital Drives Role Reversals

As digital technology proliferated, the line between laboratories, manufacturers and suppliers began to blur. Laboratories began getting into the supplier game by reselling digital equipment, materials and software to other laboratories and adding additional revenue streams to their businesses.

At the same time, dozens of manufacturers/suppliers stepped into the laboratory’s shoes by offering design, milling and printing services to their lab customers. While there was some initial concern among laboratory owners that their suppliers were becoming their competitors, this practice has become commonplace and offers labs another avenue to round out their product offerings.