Millstone Medical Outsourcing Expands Mechanical Inspection Cell
Millstone Medical Outsourcing has completed an expansion of its advanced mechanical inspection cell, which will occupy 5,000 square feet of facility space—an increase of 1,500 square feet.
“One of the ways we strive to differentiate Millstone’s inspection capabilities is by adapting to the specific needs of our customers,” said Chris Ramsden, CEO of the Fall River, Mass.-based company.
The 24-member inspection staff includes applications engineers, three levels of mechanical inspectors, receiving inspectors and quality review inspectors. As a result of the growth in staff, the inspection cell can run two eight-hour shifts and averages a 24-hour throughput. Millstone, an outsource partner to orthopedic companies, provides advanced inspection, clean room packaging, loaner kit processing and distribution services to medical and dental device manufacturers worldwide.
The expansion of the mechanical inspection division enables Millstone Medical to strengthen quality standards. Inspectors are trained in geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, and also are cross-trained on Coordinate Measuring Machine protocols to ensure the highest quality process. Strict standardization of policies and procedures provides a consistent level of inspection, according to the company.
“The growth of Millstone’s advanced mechanical inspection cell is a testament to our commitment to continue to invest resources in facilities, professionals and services to better serve our customers,” Ramsden said.
Summer Marked a Milestone Anniversary for Minnetronix
Minnetronix Inc. celebrated its 15thanniversary on July 29 at its headquarters in St. Paul, Minn.
“A combination of hard work and luck has allowed Minnetronix to grow and prosper for the 15 years since our founding,” said Rich Nazarian, company president and CEO.
The company was founded in 1996, and its first product—an electric motor-driven total artificial heart, a joint effort with 3M Company and Penn State University—helped accelerate its growth.
Minnetronix has since assembled a group of more than 185 employees who are developing medical products for customers across the United States. The company also has been recognized with numerous industry awards since its founding.
Minnetronix has led 150 design and manufacturing projects for over 100 firms, varying from small start-ups to large established companiess, including 3M, Cleveland Clinic, HeartWare International Inc., Medrad Inc., Medtronic Inc. and St. Jude Medical Inc., among others.
“We thank all of the employees, customers, suppliers, and partners who’ve made our success happen and we are fortunate to have had some of the best people in the world of medical devices working with us and for us,” Nazarian said. “We genuinely hope that we’ve made a positive impact on many people’s lives and we fully expect to continue to do so for years to come.”
Transonic Systems Becomes Part of Scisense Inc.
Transonic Systems Inc. and Scisense Inc. have merged. Transonic specializes in biomedical flow measurement technologies and applications, while Scisense manufactures blood pressure and cardiac pressure volume products. The new entity will aim to pioneer fully integrated measurement solutions for the heart and cardiovascular research, clinical diagnostic and cardiovascular surgical markets.
“Together we will be able to provide our customers with a more comprehensive hemodynamic profile for their measurement armamentaria,” said Cornelis Drost, founder and CEO of Transonic Systems. “We also look forward to the future innovations that this merger will enable.”
Transonic is headquartered in Ithaca, N.Y., and Scisense is based in Ontario, Canada. The companies’ products are sold and serviced around the world from local offices in United States, Canada, Europe,Taiwan and Japan.
“With this merger we are now able to offer our customers complete and exceptional cardiovascular solutions,” said BlairPoetschke, president and CEO of Scisense. “It will also enhance our ability to develop revolutionary products in the near future that will further strengthen our global position.”
Vention Medical Acquires Tubing Maker Ansamed
Vention Medical has acquired Boyle, Ireland-headquartered Ansamed Ltd., a provider of advanced medical tubing solutions and catheter design, development and manufacturing services.
“Partnering with the Ansamed team is an extraordinary opportunity for us to further strengthen Vention’s ability to deliver innovative components and cost effective supply chain solutions to our medical device customers,” said Dan Croteau, CEO of Marlborough, Mass.-based Vention. “The acquisition of Ansamed affirms our commitment to invest in minimally invasive technologies.”
According to Vention, the purchase will expand development and manufacturing capabilities for catheter-based devices, as well as establish a presence for Vention in Ireland. The company hopes the Ireland locale will serve as a base for further European and international expansion.
“Vention’s commitment to growing our business, and its complimentary capabilities in balloons, shrink tubing, and catheter assembly are a perfect fit for Ansamed,” said Bairbre Meehan, managing director of Ansamed. “The combined business will allow us to bring even more innovative and cost effective solutions to our mutual customers, as well as to new customers.”
Polymer Solutions Expands Facilities
Polymer Solutions Inc. has expandedits 10,000-square-foot, Blacksburg, Va., facility by 5,000 square feet to better servecustomer in the medical device, packaging, pharmaceutical, automotive, and consumer products industries.
“The additional space not only gives us more room, but it adds some additional capabilities that help us better serve our clients,” said Jim Rancourt, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Polymer Solutions. “The expansion gives us a chance to grow our team and improve our processes.”
The new space includes an advanced climate control testing lab, expanded laboratory space, a secure on-site storage area, and a machine shop. Two additional conference rooms and two safety showers for employees also have been added.
“We’re fortunate that we have an inventive client base,” Rancourt said. “They are developing new products, improving existing ones and using materials in new ways. Our growth is driven by their innovation, which ultimately benefits all of us.”
BRICS Holds First Meeting
Health ministers from BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) met recently in Bejing, China, to discuss how best to improve health systems and increase access to affordable medicine. BRICS countries account for 40 percent of the world’s population. Themeeting was the first ministerial-level get-together of health officials from emerging countries; all agreed to collaborate with international health agencies such as the World Health Organization and UNAIDS to increase access to affordable and effective therapies.
South African Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi said the BRICS countries could influence global attitudes on access to cheap medicine in the developing world.
“For my country it is absolutely essential, as we know most of the developing world is in sub-Saharan Africa, which is unfortunately the theater of the battle against communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria,”Motsoaledi said.
Michel Sidibe, UNAIDS executive director, welcomed efforts to push for the needs of the poorest countries, noting that Brazil and India have long supported efforts to provide drugs to people living with HIV/AIDS. Tatyana Golikova, health minister for Russia, suggested the group establish a database for pricing and patents of devices, as well as work together against counterfeit products.
“BRICS is a new voice,” Sidibe said. “It will help us to change the course of debate on public health by bringing to the center the voice of the poorest segment of society by making sure that social justice and the redistribution of opportunities will become a major aspect of the way we deliverpublic goods to the people.”
ATEK Medical Group Adds to its International Stable of Resources
Can you tell us more? Oleksy: The ATEK Medical Group includes two organizations—ATEK Medical and ATEK Plastics. We are adding additional capabilities in both our Medical locations in Grand Rapids, Mich., and San Jose, Costa Rica. The additional space we have secured in these locations significantly increases square footage, allowing us to offer a variety of services. The proximity of these locations will create a campus atmosphere, better enabling us to leverage our talent, business processes and Medical Group capabilities. MPO: What does this expansion mean to our readers in terms of added services? Oleksy: ATEK Medical Group will now have significant space to enhance our current offering while adding new capabilities for our customers. New “Lean/3P (production, preparation, process) Solution Centers” is a collaborative working environment between ATEK and our customers. A collaborative customer/ATEK work environment ensures a solution that encompasses the needs and thoughts of both organizations for optimized results across the value chain. In addition, the expansion of the packaging center in Grand Rapids will leverage our capabilities, and, coupled with our plastics and assembly capabilities, ATEK can offer “one-stop” solutions for our customers. Other capabilities, driven by the needs of our customers, will be established as needed. MPO: Is your expansion driven by existing business, newpartnerships, or both? Oleksy: Both. Most of the products we manufacture are the market leaders in our customer’s spaces. Therefore, supporting our customer’s needs to either achieve or maintain market domination is imperative to their success and ours. ATEK’s successful relationships with its customers allows us to continually secure projects. In addition, that success has translated into being awarded other projects from new customers who want to form a lasting partnership with ATEK as well. The medical device industry is in a constant state of change. Continually offering our customers new and enhanced capabilities is an important part of our strategy so that we can better help them meet their goals. MPO: Where/How else do you see ATEK expanding? Oleksy: Our customers are asking us to support them intra-regionally and with expanded capabilities.Therefore, we will continue to explore locations around the world where we can take our business model and add new capabilities. ATEK meets with its customers regularly for strategic conversations in regards to locations and capabilities. The expansions currently taking place are a direct result of those discussions and partnerships. We are excited about our current expansions and see these as the beginning of other things to come. —Laura Sassano |
ISO CERTIFICATIONS
|
The Medtech World Descends on Deutschland
Medica 2011.
|