On a mission in India

In January, a team from hestomed set off for India on a very special service assignment. The mission: to carry out maintenance on a mobile intensive care unit on board a Boeing 777.

We spoke to our project manager Moritz Bugner and our colleague Amir Mustafic about the challenges, experiences and the magic of everyday life in India.

What exactly was the background to your assignment in India?

MORITZ: Our task was to maintain intensive care equipment that is permanently installed in a Boeing 777. It involved the thorough inspection and servicing of medical devices that can save lives in emergency situations. The technical maintenance of ventilators, defibrillators and other vital systems is crucial in this regard.

How did you prepare for the trip and what was the first thing you did when you arrived?

MORITZ: After arriving in Delhi, we first had to go through customs – and, like so much in India, that’s an interesting experience. All Carnets* are entered by hand in a large book, and every step is carefully documented. It really makes you realise just how much we’ve already digitised back home.

AMIR: Once we’d got that out of the way, a typical Indian breakfast of dosa – a kind of pancake – was waiting for us at the hotel, adds Amir. “So we started the day perfectly fortified.”

What were the key pieces of equipment you serviced on the Boeing?

MORITZ: We serviced a range of high-tech devices. These include ventilators (Oxylog), defibrillators (Zoll X-Series), syringe pumps (Braun Space), ultrasound machines (EDGE II), ECMO machines (Cardiohelp-I) and blood gas analysers (I-Stat). These devices must be inspected and serviced annually to ensure they remain in working order.

Was this your first assignment of this kind in India, and how is the service contract structured?

MORITZ: “Actually, we’ve been visiting regularly for several years,” explains Moritz. “The customer opted for our premium on-site service, which includes an annual maintenance visit for five years. That’s why we fly to India every January.

Who was part of the team this time, and how do you divide up the tasks?

MORITZ: This year, Amir and I were there. Everyone in the team has their own specific tasks, but ultimately we work as a well-coordinated team and support one another.

What was the cultural highlight for you in Delhi?

AMIR: Definitely the Night Market. The market is full of colours, sounds and smells – it was fascinating. Not only did we try typical Indian street food there, but we also made new friends among the local colleagues.

What made your stay in India special?

MORITZ: India is different. The sheer number of people, the stark contrast between rich and poor, and of course the smog – all of this makes a stay there an intense experience. And the hygiene standards are also a challenge in some places, especially if you want to try the street food.

How much work goes into planning an overseas assignment like this?

MORITZ: A great deal of work. From drafting the letters of invitation to sorting out visas, flights and hotels, right through to sourcing spare parts and preparing the Carnet – everything has to be prepared in detail. Our service support team and Amir, our service team leader, tackled the task with great enthusiasm and, thanks to their meticulous planning, ensured that nothing was left to chance.

So will you be heading abroad for us again soon?

MORITZ: Definitely. The regular maintenance work in India is already firmly scheduled and we’ll definitely be back there next year, but before that we’re off to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and after that we’ll be working a bit closer to home with a client in Geneva. The combination of technical challenges and cultural experiences is a highlight for us every time.

An assignment to remember: balancing technical precision with intercultural exchange, the hestomed team in India demonstrates how service works across national borders and what insights such a mission offers into other worlds.

*Editor’s note: A carnet is an international customs document that allows the temporary importation of goods into a country.