Most people have no idea what it takes to produce a high-quality vape cartridge. The average cannabis consumer might never think about anything beyond the quality of the oil.
However, this is only a part of the equation. Oil brands also have to consider flavor preservation, cost, reliability and consumer safety, among other factors. But pulling all those things together — and doing it at scale — requires an expertise in modern manufacturing and an understanding of cannabis that few companies in this space can achieve.
“It’s a complex process,” says Michael Brosgart, chief operating officer for Advanced Vapor Devices. “Not least because we’re in a fast-moving industry and things are changing rapidly.”
AVD has become one of the industry’s leading hardware manufacturers and distributors through an almost fanatical commitment to quality control, customer service and product innovation. “Our fundamental approach to product development has stayed the same over the years — listening to our clients and delivering products that the market wants. We then overlay an extensive R&D process, stringent quality control and adherence to international quality standards,” says Brosgart.
Innovation
The vape segment of the cannabis industry is evolving quickly, with the hemp sector converging with the traditional THC channel to usher in what some are calling Cannabis 3.0. AVD is doing everything it can not only to stay ahead of the current trends, but to position itself as the industry standard for years to come.
“We’re not just making products,” Brosgart says, “we’re also developing intellectual property and technologies and pushing the boundaries from form factors to designs to heating elements to packaging. You name it, we’re looking at everything we can do to make a superior and more reliable product.”
“AVD’s innovations in the popular all-in-one device category are anchored in our No-Burn Technology. We achieve this through engineering and design, that preserves the authentic flavor of cannabis extracts. The result is being able to provide products to our clients that deliver flavors that taste exactly like they should, from the first hit to the very last. The hallmark of all AVD products,” Brosgart says.
“Not all vapes are equal, and this is most evident in consumer feedback about vapes that taste terrible and burn their throat and lungs,” Brosgart says. “I wish more brands would ask their suppliers about their technology, raw material inputs and the standards they adhere to. This due diligence would help brands choose superior hardware and avoid the unpleasant experiences often reported by cannabis vape shoppers due to poor quality devices. I highly recommend brands get to know their vendor, especially with such an important component for their product.”
Reliability
Beyond flavor, reliability is probably the most important attribute for a vape cartridge. A failing cartridge could be the difference between a longtime customer and someone who will never buy a particular brand ever again. To this end, AVD controls every facet of its operation — from raw material supply and manufacturing to product delivery. By working closely with its customers, and having an in-depth knowledge of cannabis, AVD is able to help its clients match the right vape hardware with the specific type of oil extract for optimal results.
“Performance is really where we’re intently focused, to ensure our products are hyper-reliable,” Brosgart says. “We understand how important this is to our clients, especially at scale. Being reliable at 5,000 units is very different than being reliable at 500,000 units.”
Controlling the raw material supply chain is the first step toward AVD’s goal of making sure every piece of hardware is manufactured to exacting tolerances — and that each product can be consistently reproduced.
The second step in ensuring reliability and consistency is AVD’s “insane” quality assurance and quality control processes both on the raw materials and the finished products, Brosgart says. AVD is investing heavily in automation to further improve reliability and manufacturing diversity.
AVD also invests heavily in understanding the science of cannabis oil. Every oil type has a different viscosity. Different cannabinoids and terpenes vaporize at different temperatures.
“Each client has a different set of priorities. This is not a one-size-fits-all industry,” Brosgart says. “It really takes that knowledge and passion of the plant to make a great device.”
Brosgart emphasizes that AVD has an incredible team with varying backgrounds and expertise.
“The complexity of our business means we require a coordinated team effort to bring outstanding products to market,” he says. “The team is the heart and soul of our organization.”
Customer Service
“We pride ourselves on our commitment to customer service,” Brosgart says. “One of our core company values is that we prioritize the relationship over a transaction,” he says. “We try very hard to go the extra mile for our clients and provide a level of service that is often not seen in our industry.” Developing these business partnerships has been crucial to the success of AVD. This extends to the way the company approaches reliability, consistency, consumer safety and logistics, as well as the science that goes into developing new products for its clients.
It’s also important that AVD handles business with “operational and financial rigor,” Brosgart says.
“These are the unsexy things that we do incredibly well. This is really important because if we can’t run a sustainable business, then we’re not a sustainable partner to our clients, able to provide them with the long-term solutions they need, and make sure their product arrives on time, every time.”