Biomerics this week announced it opened a 2,000 sq. ft research and development facility in Galway, Ireland.
The new Balloons and Balloons Catheters Center of Excellence will be the first facility in Europe and the second facility outside of the U.S. It will act as an extension to its Athens, Texas operations and will be dedicated to the development and manufacturing of balloons and balloon catheters.
Biomerics Galway facility will be a dedicated space for designing and developing complex balloon components using various materials, including polyurethanes, nylons, PET and more. It will be equipped with multiple balloon-forming machines, state-of-the-art test equipment and an ISO 13485:2016 certified cleanroom.
“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.”
Jhovanny Ortega, Biomerics’ commercial director of interventional balloons, will lead the new research and development facility.
“Biomerics strongly believes in fielding teams with excellent skillsets. We think it is essential to use an exploratory approach to designing and developing balloon components for a variety of critical medical device applications,” said CEO Travis Sessions. “Jhovanny and his team will be the key to success for this facility, and we have every belief that he will thrive. We are always looking for new ways to innovate as it is the lifeblood of any company and adding a location here in Ireland helps us magnify our efforts and strengthen our vision.”
Biomerics will create 40 jobs in the area and the expansion was supported by the Irish government through IDA Ireland.
“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. 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,” said Michael Lohan, global head of life sciences at IDA Ireland.
