US based Secant Medical, a leader in the design, development and custom manufacture for biomedical textiles, has expanded its manufacturing capacity by adding a 40,000 square foot facility in Quakertown, PA, to support current and future business growth as a result of market development trends in tissue engineering and transcather technologies.

In addition, the company says it has also redesigned its entire methodology for custom-developing and manufacturing products for medical device manufacturers, it’s newly named Integrated Product Development Process.

According to Secant, industry experts predict the total market for tissue engineering, including heart valve repair and replacement; musculosketetal bone and ligament repair and replacement; and urologic bladder slings, will surpass $11.5 billion by 2016.*

"We are also monitoring the healthy market growth of transcatheter technology for minimally invasive surgical procedures, which is driving an increased need for biomedical textiles," states Karen West, general manager of the company's Advanced Technology and Materials Group.

"While we see an upward trend in the market, we are well aware of the challenges that device manufacturers face from healthcare reform and other events. We must carefully balance these market dynamics in our long term planning, particularly as it pertains to our clients needs."

"Secant Medical is taking these proactive steps in capacity expansion and process changes to manage existing and future business growth," notes Steve Chadwick, President and CEO. "The newly acquired facility allows us to more aggressively address expanding supply needs in the biomedical textiles field. At the same time, our new product development process ensures we can remain aligned closely with clients' development requirements, from concept through commercialization, despite rapidly growing markets."

According to West, the company worked hard to delineate and reengineer a series of value-added services for clients to ensure a more rapid, cost effective, successful project implementation for their device innovations.

"The resulting integrated process better leverages our continuum of services at every stage of the client's development path. It's a smarter, more streamlined approach to apply the quality, collaboration, and scientific support we bring to the table. Combined with our expanded technology and manufacturing capacity, Secant Medical is very well-positioned to meet the changing needs of our client base in both the near- and long-term."

Secant Medical custom-develops biomedical textile structures for medical devices, helping customers meet challenges to bring device solutions to market quickly and effectively. Using constantly evolving high-performance metallic and polymeric biomaterials, the company designs the textile structures that client innovations require in developing the next generation orthopedic, cardiovascular, tissue-engineered and neurological devices, and new general surgery resources.

Secant Medical is a business unit of Prodesco, Inc., a company which designs, develops and manufactures engineered fabric structures for the medical, industrial and aerospace industries. In 2008, Prodesco became part of Fenner PLC, a leader in reinforced polymer engineering headquartered in Yorkshire, England.

www.secantmedical.com

* July 2007 Medtech Insight report, "Tissue Engineering and Cell Transplantation: Technologies, Opportunities, and Evolving Markets in the US"