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Tecomet announced a recent strategic investment in its Cork, Ireland facility to expand its polyethylene and plastic machining capabilities and to establish a global “poly” center of excellence.
Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) and other high-performance polymers are commonly used in orthopedic hip and knee implants as acetabular liners, tibial inserts and patella components as well as the corresponding implant trials. These applications represent new product line extensions and a strategic growth area for the organization, as more medical device OEMs consider outsourcing to their key development and manufacturing partners, even for their most demanding quality-driven products such as long-term implants.
Tecomet has invested $4 million in capital equipment and facility improvements in Cork to accommodate long-term market demand. Those investments include top of the line milling technology for manufacturing and additional metrology system assets. The company is additionally looking at expanding its overall footprint in Cork, adding square footage and manufacturing space.
The facility investment follows the expansion last year of one of its robotics and advanced surgical manufacturing focal points in the U.S. In May 2021, Tecomet opened a new building for its Boulder, Colorado operation, doubling the available footprint for manufacturing and capacity for new product innovation and development.
Tecomet’s Executive Vice President of Sales Art Burghouwt said, “This investment is consistent with many others Tecomet has made over the years to advance our manufacturing technologies and service customers for their next-generation products. In this case, we are expanding our reach within the orthopedic large joint implant market, completing a range of products that complement our other implant solutions for customers.”
Burghouwt continued to say that many do not often think of Tecomet for plastic or polymer material solutions, but the company has machined those materials for years and continues to view them as an important part of its business. Tecomet is seeing more customers looking to outsource those products. The company aims to be their preferred partner as they do, he said.
Tecomet remains optimistic about the orthopedic market as procedure volumes and demand rebounds from the circumstances of the global pandemic.
Source: Tecomet
