Biomet UK Ltd is expanding and extending the range of hip and knee replacement products manufactured at its Bridgend facility which, with support from the Welsh Government, will create 60 new jobs over the next two years.
Their facility on the Waterton Industrial Estate was named as Biomet’s worldwide centre of excellence for manufacturing hip joint implants in 2009 when significant investment was made to upgrade equipment and facilities.
That investment was also supported by the Welsh Government. Products from Bridgend, which include knee joint implants, are exported globally.
This latest investment of £2.7million for plant and machinery and the expansion of clean room capacity will secure production of an extended range of replacement hip/cup systems. It follows the successful launch of the technically advanced G7 system in 2013.
The expansion is backed by £694,000 business finance from the Welsh Government. Biomet UK Ltd is ultimately owned by Biomet Inc., and a site at its global headquarters in Warsaw, Indiana, USA, was under consideration for this project.
Economy Minister Edwina Hart said:” Biomet’s importance to the Welsh economy is recognised by awarding it anchor company status and I am delighted that new investment and new products are being introduced to the Bridgend site.
“This facility is already recognised as a global centre of excellence and I am pleased the Welsh Government is supporting this latest stage of growth that will secure jobs and capital investment and allow future developments to be based at Bridgend. It forms part of our commitment to support this key economic sector and help it reach its high growth potential.”
Ciaran McMahon, Regional Finance Director, said: “ Biomet are incredibly grateful for support and guidance given to us by the Welsh Government over many years, with this support we have been able to invest in both technology and in people in our main facility at Bridgend.
“The most recent support has enabled us to create significant new jobs that relate to the expansion of our world-wide G7 hip system. This system was successfully launched to market in 2013 and has been so well received, particularly in our international markets, that there is need to expand our UK operations.
“Our Bridgend facility is the primary producer of this system which has followed previous government assisted investment between 2009-2013 in our Hip Centre of Excellence. This product range has had significant design input from the Bridgend product development team and is another system which has its roots in Biomet’s clinical history of excellence based on innovation and safety.
“This support has helped Biomet bring to market technology innovation with our new products, and also service innovations such as the Rapid Recovery and Sterile Rapide program that help support the NHS in Wales and in the rest of the UK to provide better patient-care at a reduced cost, more efficiently and with an improved patient outcome. “
Biomet participated in BioWales 2014 and presented alongside NHS Wales highlighting how they are working together to drive efficiencies in orthopaedic surgery to increase volume of operations, and reduce recovery time of patients.
This latest news comes on the back of the most successful BioWales event to date attracting record numbers of delegates, exhibitors and partnership meetings