Banner Medical and Firth Rixson Metals Form Sales Partnership

Carol Stream, Ill.-based Banner Medical and Sheffield, United Kingdom-based Firth Rixson Metals Ltd. entered an exclusivity agreement for sales and marketing for cobalt chrome in the United States, effective Jan. 1, 2014. Banner Medical provides supply chain solutions for medical-grade materials to the device, implant, and instrument industry, and Firth Rixson manufactures specialty metals. Firth Rixson’s U.S. offices are in East Hartford, Conn.

“The medical-grade metal materials that Firth Rixson Metals produces are of the highest standards,” said Elinor Oldroyd, general manager of Firth Rixson. “By combining this offering with Banner Medical’s expertise in quality assurance, we will meet the stringent demands of the medical industry.”

“Banner Medical specializes in medical-grade materials and offers deep expertise in the quality management that is necessary to fully comply with FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] 21 CFR 820,” said Dan Stoettner, Banner Medical’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “The depth, breadth and detail of Banner’s approach to quality management and supply chain management is unique and that distinction justifies the patent-pending status of Banner’s Essential Quality Systems. Firth Rixson shares our commitment to vigilance and quality in both products and service.”

Stoettner went on to say, “Given the importance of cobalt chrome to today’s device, implant and instrument industry, we strongly believe that the Firth Rixson-Banner Medical alliance can help our customers realize true supply chain control on cobalt chrome materials, making them able to effectively address the unprecedented FDA scrutiny which exists today in the United States.”

Cobalt chrome is metal alloy of cobalt and chromium. It’s high strength makes it desirable for dental and orthopedic implants. It is usually the dominant alloy in total joint arthroplasty.