The ActivForce Nearshoring Journey

Bringing Production Closer to Home

While overseas manufacturing can offer many advantages, managing a cross-continent supply chain comes with its own set of challenges for many North American businesses—including lost products, communication breakdowns, and other unexpected delays. ActivBody, a California-based company developing innovative products for wellness and fitness, was facing these sorts of issues prior to our partnership.

When ActivBody was planning to take their ActivForce physical therapy and rehabilitation device to a broader market, they knew that finding a stable and reliable manufacturing partner closer to home would be key to their success. A closer production facility would reduce their risks of shipping delays, increase the speed of communication, and improve their overall supply chain stability. When ActivBody’s Head of Medical Compliance Tay Nguyen heard that SEACOMP was opening a new facility in Mexico, he recognized the perfect opportunity for a nearshoring partnership that would help bring the ActivForce to market with fewer logistical headaches.

“A Mexico facility…shortens our supply chain considerably. The ability to nearshore is pretty powerful to our business.”

- Tay Nguyen, Head of Medical Compliance, ActivBody

For ActivBody, manufacturing in Mexico with SEACOMP has meant building a better product with the support of an invested, accessible team. We take the success of our partners seriously, and the result is a streamlined production process with shorter lead times and fewer logistical hurdles. With our manufacturing support, ActivBody is already making an impact for the therapists and patients who rely on ActivForce for successful treatment.

Get to Know Our Mexico Facility

Our 60,000 sq. ft. Tijuana, Mexico manufacturing facility serves as a central hub for SEACOMP’s turnkey manufacturing services in North America. In-person collaboration has never been easier — it’s just an hour’s drive from our HQ in Carlsbad, California! The facility’s location in Mexico provides our customers with reduced lead times, lowered transportation costs, diversified supply chains, sustainable manufacturing, and tariff savings.

Specific manufacturing capabilities include:

Design engineering
PCB assembly
Plastic injection molding
Product testing
Final assembly
Packaging

A Modern Approach to Manumuscle Testing

With SEACOMP’s extensive experience manufacturing health and medtech electronics products, ActivBody knew we’d be ready to take on the challenge of manufacturing a cutting-edge physiotherapy device.

The ActivForce device offers a modern alternative to traditional manual muscle (manumuscle) testing in physiotherapy. Traditionally, physiotherapists evaluate a patient’s muscle strength by applying resistance against their movement. The patient’s strength is then rated based on their ability to resist the applied force. As treatment progresses, the patient’s strength is re-assessed by repeating the process and giving them a new rating.

However, this method of rating muscle strength is entirely subjective, which can cause inconsistencies across treatment sessions. Adding even more complexity is the fact that different physiotherapists may use various scales of measurement, leading to confusion when patients receive care from another provider or need to transfer records.

man guiding a woman with raising a dumbbell

Giving Patients and Providers Objective Results

ActivBody’s vision for the ActivForce was to create a product that enhances treatment outcomes over time—and even between providers—through reliable, objective data collection.

By combining a portable dynamometer (which measures muscle strength) with an inclinometer (which captures limb movement angles), ActivForce could bring a whole new level of accuracy to physiotherapists’ assessment capabilities. Patient assessments conducted with the ActivForce are given quantified performance metrics that get uploaded to an online dashboard in real time, allowing both therapists and patients to track progress accurately and consistently.

With these data-driven insights, the ActivForce not only supports effective rehabilitation but also empowers patients to stay informed and engaged in their recovery journey.

Enhanced Patient Care

For patients needing to submit proof of treatment progress to their insurance provider, ActivForce’s objective data offers a clear, reliable argument for continued care. This can be crucial for patients who may otherwise face a limit on their number of treatment sessions, helping prevent any delays or interruptions in care.

ActivForce’s measurements can also serve as a powerful personal motivator. Seeing tangible improvement over time can be incredibly encouraging for patients, especially those struggling to stay consistent with at-home rehabilitation exercises. Seeing measurable progress and achievements over time helps build a sense of accomplishment, empowering patients to stay committed to their recovery journey and ultimately enhancing the overall effectiveness of their treatment.

“When somebody stops their exercises after coming to therapy, their likelihood of the issue coming back goes up. The more tools and more education that we can give patients on where their strength numbers are at now, their exercise after care is going to increase.”

- Dr. Daniel Stewart PT, DPT, ActivBody Head of Strategic Partnerships

Building a Strong Partnership

With our vision to improve the world we live in by making great ideas into great products, working on the ActivForce was a natural fit for SEACOMP. We’re a passionate team, and we take our customer’s pain points and product goals to heart.

Once ActivBody moved their manufacturing operations to our facility in Mexico, we immediately identified efficiencies that would benefit ActivBody’s processes. One key improvement was the automation of several tasks that were previously performed manually, which helped to increase production output and product consistency.
Our expertise in quality control and compliance also played a key role in manufacturing the ActivForce. Every part of the ActivForce meets stringent quality standards, supported by robust component traceability processes established under our ISO 13485 certification.

Supporting Medtech Innovators With ISO 13485

Our Mexico facility is ISO 13485 certified, underscoring our commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality management in medical device manufacturing. This globally recognized certification ensures that our processes comply with rigorous requirements throughout the design, development, and production of medical devices. Partnering with an ISO 13485-certified manufacturer is crucial for companies seeking regulatory approval requests in key markets like the European Union and the United States.

Happier Teams for Better Products

One of the greatest strengths we brought to the ActivForce project was our understanding of the varied challenges of product development. We recognized that the success of medical device manufacturing goes beyond just the technical aspects; it’s also about optimizing logistics and reducing operational friction.

Our dedicated project personnel are experts at global logistics who work to ensure every aspect of a reliable manufacturing timeline is in place, from materials sourcing to shipping and labeling. With SEACOMP as a manufacturing partner, ActivBody benefits from both our logistical expertise and the convenience of working in the same time zone.

The Numbers of Nearshoring

Nearshoring can offer significant financial advantages for North American companies. By shifting production from China to Mexico, Activbody benefits from reduced import tariffs due to a change in their product’s country of origin, removing the Section 301 tariffs on China imports into the U.S. Additionally, products imported from Mexico typically face fewer tariffs due to the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), formerly NAFTA. By choosing Mexico as a manufacturing hub, companies can also gain cost savings through increased production flexibility and faster turnaround times.

“All the people we’ve worked with (at SEACOMP), it’s been a night and day difference. With the SEACOMP team, it’s like, ‘here’s an outline!’ and they fill in the blanks. The SEACOMP team asks the appropriate questions. It will get taken care of.”

- Tay Nguyen, Head of Medical Compliance, ActivBody

How the ActivForce is Making an Impact

We’re proud that our manufacturing logistics expertise is already making a difference in the lives of patients with physical injuries.

As the ActivForce continues to ramp up production, it is being integrated into educational settings, helping to train the next generation of physical therapists with the right tool for an objective treatment plan. Traditional dynamometers can be cost-prohibitive for educational institutions, limiting access for students. The ActivForce, however, offers a more budget-friendly option that helps bridge this gap.

Currently, the ActivForce is being used at universities like Arcadia University and Belmont University, where it supplements traditional muscle-testing education. This allows students to gain hands-on experience with an accurate, objective measurement tool that enhances their clinical training.

“We sought a device that could objectify, give us actual measurements to how strong a certain muscle was. The way that this is being used in schools is…to educate students and lift the profession.”