EAG Announces Acquisition of Chemir and Affiliates
Evans Analytical Group, Inc. (EAG) has acquired Chemir Analytical Services and its affiliates, CAS-MI Laboratories and Cyanta Analytical Services. Cyanta will be renamed EAG Life Sciences to reflect its planned expansion of service. CAS-MI and Chemir will continue to operate under their current names, and all three laboratories will continue to operate at their respective facilities.
“With this acquisition we are excited that EAG can deliver our services to customers across a broader range of analytical, test and development offerings,” said Harry Davoody, CEO. “The combination of our companies and integrated scope of services means EAG is a stronger partner for our clients, enabling them to more effectively achieve their time to market our solutions or goals.”
EAG believes that the new acquisition will allow it to serve the industry specific needs of a diverse client base, including device and pharmaceutical companies that require U.S. Food and Drug Administration testing beyond materials characterization and clients seeking to develop novel coating technologies beyond surface analysis investigations. The addition also gives clients greater access to analytical capabilities.
“Over the past year and a half we have experienced our share of hurdles and with EAG as our new owner we have the financial resources and stability our clients deserve,” Chemir President David W. Riggs said.
Riggs also is confident that EAG’s global reach will significantly benefit Chemir’s growth.
“Until now, Chemir has been primarily focused on U.S. clients,” he said. “We believe this acquisition will greatly enhance our failure analysis and investigational capabilities due to EAG’s extensive knowledge and instrumentation related to materials characterization and surface analysis.”
EAG primarily is owned by Odyssey Investment Partners, LLC, a private equity firm that makes majority, control investments mainly in established middle-market industrial manufacturing and business services companies in various industries. EAG is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif. Odyssey Investment Partners has offices in New York, N.Y., and Los Angeles, Calif.
Medical Murray Celebrates 15th AnniversaryMedical Murray recently celebrated its 15th anniversary.The contract manufacturing company produces custom cathetersystems and components and complexdisposables and implantables for thevascular, surgical and urology markets.
The company currently is based in North Barrington, Ill., where it moved to expand to a 12,000-square-foot, two-story facility in 2006. In 2008, the firm added an 18,000-square foot facility in Lake Zurich, Ill., for device manufacturing.
“During these challenging economic times, we have been fortunate to have a great blend of customers, employees and vendors, all of whom are dedicated to excellence,” said Phil Leopold, president. “We all look forward to serving the medical device development and manufacturing needs of customers for the next 15 years.”
Metro Mold & Design Expands, Adds Jobs
By late summer, Metro Mold & Design will take over a 100,000-square-foot building in Brooklyn Park, Minn., and will operate as a full-scale production company for the first time.
Metro Mold is transferring 40 employees to the new location, and promises to create an additional 40 jobs at the new site. The company’s total manufacturing space will grow to 314,000 square feet; Metro Mold is closing its Rogers, Minn., headquarters but will retain its facility in Little Falls, Minn.
“We will be closer to our customers and to the metropolitan workforce,” said Greg Heinemann, chief financial officer, who counts several of Minnesota’s medical device manufacturers among Metro Mold’s clients. He declined to name customers, but said the company has been receiving full production service requests for several years.
Metro Mold is taking advantage of up to $600,000 in tax increment financing (TIF) offered by Brooklyn Park to remodel the existing building. According to Amy Baldwin, business developer for Brooklyn Park, unallocated TIF funds in an existing TIF district were used to make the move possible. The money will go to the Goodman Group, which owns the building, for remodeling. The build-out is expected to be completed by August.
If Metro Mold stays for at least 10 years and generates 40 jobs, the TIF debt will be forgiven.
“There will definitely be a jobcreation component,” Baldwin said. Jobs will range from hourly paid positions ($13/hour) to those with six-figure salaries. If the job creation condition is not met, the city will have a financial claw-back in the financing agreement, though the details have not yet been negotiated. If Metro Mold leaves before the 10-year term is up, the city will pro-rate a payback required of the Goodman Group.
Metro Mold specializes in rapid mold manufacturing, custom plastic injection molding, thermoset plastic molding,extrusion blow molding and precision computer numerical control machining.
Titan Medical, Proven Process Sign Development Agreement
Titan Medical Inc. will develop certain proprietary elements of Proven Process Medical Devices Inc.’s Amadeus robotic surgical system under a new agreement.
“We are pleased to be working with Proven Process Medical Devices on our proprietary surgical platform,” Reiza Rayman, president of Toronto, Canada-based Titan Medical, said.
“Their list of clients and advanced technologies which are currently being used clinically is an affirmation that we have the right partner.”
The Amadeus system enables surgeons to conduct local or long distance robotic surgery for both treatment and training purposes. It features multi-articulating arms, an enhanced vision system, and force feedback.
“We are very excited to work with the company’s team on finalizing their clinical grade robotic surgical system,” said Kenneth Fine, president of Mansfield, Mass.-based Proven Process.
MedPlast Adds Silicone Extrusion to Menu of Services
MedPlast Inc. has added silicone extrusion technology to the list of services available at its Elkhorn, Wis., facility. The addition gives MedPlast the capability of handling the multiple processes needed to create critical medical products, officials said.
“This new capability in our Elkhorn, Wisconsin, facility further enhances our role as an integrated, one-stop supplier for the healthcare product market,” said Dan Winter, director of development for elastomers.
MedPlast’s services include injection molding, transfer molding, compression molding, extrusion blow molding and design, and construction of complex medical molds. Its capabilities range from design, prototyping and engineering to assembly, tool-making and production of custom-molded components for both the healthcare and select industrial markets.
MedPlast is located in Tempe, Ariz.
Pexco Acquires Multitube Medical Devices
Pexco LLC has acquired Multitube Medical Devices S.A. de C.V. Pexco will take over Multitube’s 17,500-square-foot facility in Mexicali, Mexico, close the U.S. border with California.
“The acquisition fulfills both strategic and geographic purposes for our organization,” said Neil Shillingford, CEO of Pexco.Besides being physically close to the target market, the new facility includes a Class 100,000 medical clean room and employs about 40 people who work on 10production lines.
“The facility’s location near Tijuana gives us a presence in this vital manufacturing region that will benefit customers in Mexico and adjacent parts of the United States,” Shillingford said.
“We are looking forward to working with Pexco and the opportunities a much larger operation brings to our market here in this part of Mexico,” said Enrique Preciado, plant manager at Multitube.
This is Pexco’s second expansion in Mexico. The first, in 2000, established the company’s facility in Monterrey.
KCI Marks Double Milestone
Earlier this spring, Kinetic Concepts Inc. (KCI) celebrated its 35th anniversary and held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of its new corporate headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. The three-story, 100,000-square-foot facility should be ready to occupy in the summer of 2012.
“We celebrate this great milestone on behalf of all the people at KCI—nearly 7,000 dedicated professionals who serve customers and patients in countries around the globe,” said Catherine Burzik, president and CEO. To commemorate its anniversary, the company’s San Antonio employees collectively will contribute 35,000 hours of community service projects throughout the year.
“Our decision to build a new corporate headquarters is based on the growth of business,” said company spokesman Joe Izbrand. KCI generated approximately $2 billion in revenue last year. Izbrand denied that the decision was related to the ongoing dispute KCI has had with its current landlord; the company sued the building’s owners and property manager for breach of lease this past January.
KCI purchased 8.3 acres of land in order to build the new facility. Property records show that the company also has an option to acquire an additional seven acres near the site of the new headquarters. According to the documents, the option expires in March 2012 but can be extended for an additional year.
KCI purchased its new property from KM Hausman LLC., and is working with Koontz McCombs Construction Inc. to ensure that the new headquarters is environmentally responsible. The company’s new facility is expected to qualify for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
KCI manufactures products for wound care, tissue regeneration and therapeutic support system markets. The company has been based in San Antonio, Texas since its founding in 1976.
Name Changer: Surgivision Becomes MRI Interventions
Surgivision Inc. has changed its company name to MRI Interventions Inc. to establish its stance on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in therapeutic interventions.
“Our new company name reflects our position as a leader in this emerging field of medicine and it will allow us to better communicate our mission and strategy within the healthcare industry,” saidKimble Jenkins, CEO.
The Memphis, Tenn.-based company currently is working with Siemens Healthcare to develop the ClearTrace system, which uses MRI-guided catheter ablations to treat cardiac arrhythmias. Another partnership with Boston Scientific Corp. is focused on incorporating MRI technologies into implantable leads for cardiac and neurological applications.
Cadence Expands Operations
Cadence Inc. is investing nearly $16 million to expand its operations in Staunton, Va., where the firm currently is based.
“This major expansion represents another significant step on our journey of solid growth,” said Peter Harris, CEO. “This also affirms our ongoing commitment to precision and repeatability in everything we do for our customers, shareholders and employees.”
Cadence’s expansion partially is financially supported by a grant from the Virginia Governor’s Opportunity Fund. The expansion will create 65 new jobs for the region.
“The path of success continues with this investment, which will allow for a larger facility and increased manufacturing production to accommodate the company’s rapid growth,” said Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell.
Cretex Buys Pacific Plastics
Cretex Companies Inc. has acquired Pacific Plastics & Engineering, a contract manufacturer of tight tolerance injection-molded, assembled and packaged devices for the medical and biotechnology markets. Pacific Plastics & Engineering’s services include engineering, design, tooling construction, prototype, short-run and production molding and assembly.
“We are delighted to add Pacific Plastics & Engineering to the Cretex family of companies,” said Lynn Schuler, CEO of Cretex. “The acquisition continues our growth in the medical market and gives us a presence in the Bay Area, where medical device startup activity remains strong.”
Pacific Plastics & Engineering founders Stephanie and Jack Harkness will work with Cretex executives to guide business after the transition.
“With this transfer of ownership, we can assure our employees and customers that it’s business as usual,” Stephanie Harkness said. “The acquisition by Cretexoffers complimentary capabilities to our customers.”
Cretex’s current medical portfolio also includes RMS Medical Parts Machining, Meier Tool & Engineering, Inc. and Juno Inc.
Mack Molding Receives Manufacturing Award
Mack Molding has received the 2011 Managing Automation Communications Progressive Manufacturing 100 Award. The Arlington, Vt.-headquartered company was recognized at the Manufacturing Leadership Summit in Palm Beach, Fla., for expanding its market position and redefining itself as a major North American manufacturer.
Mack’s business model dates back about 10 years, as OEMs turned to offshore manufacturing. The company drafted a new business model that would expand its position as a contract manufacturer for the medical market as well as a custom plastic molder of super-large parts.
“This aspect of our business model drives us toward products that are too large to be manufactured efficiently overseas and too complex to be confidently and expediently managed from offshore locations,” said Jeff Somple, president of Mack Molding Northern Operations.
So far, the varied list of products includes a fully automated, self-cleaning commercial milkshake blender, mail sorters and production systems, solar-powered municipal trash compactors and recycling systems, RFID (radio frequency identification) inventory management systems and insect control systems for lawn and garden care.
For each product, Mack’s vertical integration of services—product development, plastics injection molding, sheet metal fabrication, machining and total product assembly—play important roles in the development process.
Other companies honored for their manufacturing business models include Caterpillar Inc., Chevron Corporation, the Coca-Cola Company, Dow Chemical Company, Ford Motor Company, Honeywell International, Lockheed Martin Corporation and Nestle S.A.
“These companies have demonstrated an ability to rethink their businesses and apply advanced technologies in innovative ways that manufacturers everywhere would be well served to emulate,” said David Brousell, a judge. “The [Progressive Manufacturing 100] winners this year are role models for the successful manufacturing company of today and in the future.”
Ellsworth Continues Expansion With Solar Deal
Ellsworth Adhesives is now an authorized distributor of Dow Corning Solar Solutions in Mexico, Canada and Australia.
The Germantown, Wis.-based supplier will add Dow Corning’s Photovoltaic Cell and Module Coatings, Junction Box Potting Agents, Rail Bond Adhesives, Frame Sealants and PV Junction Box Adhesives to its product offerings.
“Ellsworth is committed to delivering quality solar solutions to our customers around the world,” said Mike McCourt, global president of Ellsworth Adhesives, Specialty Chemical Distribution. “Our continued relationship with Dow Corning showcases our commitment to the high-quality customer service, timely technical support and delivery assurance that our clients have come to expect from Ellsworth Adhesives.”
“We look forward to working with Dow Corning to serve the solar industry,” added Jeff Payne, chief marketing officer at Ellsworth Adhesives.
Itamar Monitoring Devices Gain Approval in China
The State Food and Drug Association of China has approved two of Itamar Medical Ltd.’s non-invasive monitoring devices: the EndoPat, for sleep disorders and the WatchPat, for cardiovascular activity.
Both devices already are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.
Caesarea, Israel-based Itamar currently is preparing for a China product launch.
Putnam Plastics Opens New Printing Center
Putnam Plastics has opened a new center for printing medical tubing used in catheter devices. The 500-sqaure-foot printing operation will be in a climate-controlled room located in Putnam’s primary manufacturing facility in Dayville, Conn.
It is adjacent to extrusion and polyimide operations for continuous manufacturing flow from tube manufacture to final printing. It also features plasma heat surface treatment equipment for the preparation of hard surfaces of resins. The center houses four dedicated pad printers that can print catheter shafts up to 80centimeters in length with 360-degreeprinting roll options.
