A leader in medtech manufacturing

While Cork is already a renowned European hub for pharma and biopharma, its fast growing capability in medical devices and healthcare is also attracting an increasing number of leading investors.

Several industry leaders have a strong presence in the region, including Depuy Synthes, Wright Medical, Boston Scientific and Stryker. The World Economic Forum recently named the Depuy Synthes facility in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork,  as one of 9 leading factories globally for embedding new technologies such as Internet of Things into modern production.

Global leaders

Stryker and Boston Scientific have both developed large scale manufacturing solutions in Cork, expanding them to meet their growing needs. Global giant Boston Scientific’s Cork’s facility manufactures a diverse portfolio of medical devices, used to diagnose and treat patients in areas like cardiology, urology and endoscopy, for distribution across the globe. Wright Medical Group N.V is one of several leading companies in the sector that have chosen Cork as part of their global operation. Based in Macroom, they are recognised as a leader in surgical solutions for the upper and lower extremities and the biologics markets, three of the fastest growing segments in orthopaedics. Healthcare leader McKeeson, one of the world’s top twenty largest organisations, has a multi-functional site in Cork, which includes an Enterprise Tech Hub and finance function.

3D laser printing

Stryker, which employs over 25,000 people worldwide, is now well established in Cork, developing surgical instruments and associated technology, as well as researching and developing biomaterials and making knee and hip joints. They recently opened a world leading centre of excellence in east Cork utilising orthopaedic related 3D laser printing technology.

Pushing back the barriers

AventaMed, a Cork-based start-up founded in 2013, is a typical success story. A spin-out from CIT’s ‘MEDIC’ research centre, it was founded on technology developed from four years of product development. Its medical devices are now pushing back the boundaries of ear tube surgery.

Collaborative research

PMD Solutions is another increasingly important player in the area. Founded in 2011, its collaborative research with Cork University Hospital’s Emergency Department has resulted in groundbreaking medical devices for the monitoring and diagnosis of respiratory conditions. Cork’s highly developed academic and research infrastructure has been a key asset in attracting major companies as well as supporting their expansion. Research Centres in Cork include:
Specialising in the design and discovery of medical devices, the Centre’s key objective is to stimulate innovation, ideas and business competitiveness in the medical device arena. Its key research areas specialise in orthopaedics, biomaterials and SMART devices.
Established to improve the efficacy of health professional training, the Assert Centre provides world-class facilities to train healthcare professionals in simulated clinical settings.
Its role is to drive collaboration and fast-track commercialisation of healthcare innovations.
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