Stryker Orthopedics

A hip replacement costs a hospital $12,000 in implant hardware. Striker sells that hardware at 70% gross margin. The patient gets a new joint. The surgeon gets a reliable system. The hospital gets a bill. And Striker gets a relationship that lasts 30 years, because switching implant vendors means retraining every orthopedic surgeon on staff. Striker built its dominance through surgical training programs. The company invested over 500 million annually in training facilities, where surgeons learned procedures using Striker instruments. A surgeon who trained on Striker's make-o-robotic arm for knee replacements would not voluntarily switch to a competitor's system. The muscle memory, the workflow, the positioning of every tool became embedded in their practice.