Manufacturer of Balloon Catheters Expands into Ireland

Biomerics, a contract manufacturer serving the interventional device market, has just opened a new Balloons & Balloon Catheters Centre of Excellence in Galway, Ireland. The facility is expected to create about 40 jobs over the next five years.

The Salt Lake City, UT-based manufacturer said this is its first facility in Europe, and its second facility outside the United States, after Costa Rica. The new facility will act as an extension to Biomerics' operations in Athens, Texas.

Jhovanny Ortega, commercial director of interventional balloons, will lead the new balloons & balloon catheters research and development facility. It will be a dedicated space for designing and developing complex balloon components used in future medical devices and applications, using various materials including polyurethanes, nylons, PET, and more.

Biomerics said it chose to locate in Galway due to the region's significant cluster of medical device companies, a skilled labor pool, an international reputation, and access to suppliers and vendors. The office will be equipped with multiple balloon-forming machines, state-of-the-art test equipment, and a cleanroom that is ISO 13485:2016 certified.

"Having this new location is another step in our strategic growth plan. We continue to see a strong need around balloon component development," said Todd McFarland, president of Biomerics FMI. "Our focus will be on next-generation technologies, including micro- and sensing balloons. Additionally, the facility will provide more capacity to support our strategic customers in the interventional markets we serve."

The Irish government supports this expansion through IDA Ireland, the company noted.

"Biomerics' decision to locate its first European site in Galway is terrific news for Ireland, and reflects the established lifesciences cluster in the West Region," said Michael Lohan, global head of life sciences at IDA Ireland. "This announcement is an exemplar of IDA Ireland's continued commitment to winning innovative investments and job creation in regional locations. I wish Biomerics every success with this investment."