Medical Device Link.

Industry Intelligence: emerging opportunities

The Czech Republic’s medical device market is small by Western European standards, but it is expanding at a rapid pace. The national med-tech market is forecast to grow 9.9% annually and attain a value of US$2.3 billion by 2014, according to a report published by Research and Markets (Dublin; www.researchandmarkets.com). Much of that growth will be fuelled by imports, which fulfil nearly three quarters of market needs.

But the domestic med-tech sector is growing, as well—a rising tide lifts all boats, as the saying goes—and that is helping to spur development of the country’s contract manufacturing sector. Global med-tech OEMs have taken notice, in particular because of the nation’s skilled workforce.

The Czech education system produces one of the highest percentages of science and technology graduates in the world. Nearly 30% of university degrees are awarded to students specialising in science-related fields, according to statistics compiled by CzechInvest (Prague; www.czechinvest.org). And academic and public officials clearly see a bright future in a technical education with a med-tech slant: the Czech Technical University in Prague, one of the largest technical universities in Europe, established a Faculty of Biomedical Engineering in 2005. A tech-savvy population has created fertile ground for some notable technical advances. Elmarco (Liberec; www.elmarco.com) is a prime example.

Nanospider technology, developed by Elmarco, produces nanofibres by means of electrospinning. By eliminating the use of nozzles, needles and spinnerets, the technique achieves mechanical simplicity and, thus, lowers operating costs while improving nanofibre quality, according to the company. Elmarco offers lab, pilot and industrial-scale production systems, and it has developed a special medical line of machines suited for cleanroom use. Nanofibres have numerous medical applications in wound care, tissue engineering and drug delivery. In addition to the Czech Republic, Elmarco has offices in the United States and Japan.

Although their products might not be as leading edge, a number of other companies from the Czech Republic have been courting global med-tech OEMs. In particular, a trio of contract manufacturers were scheduled to exhibit at MEDTEC Ireland in September. Company descriptions follow.

Aroja (Strážnice; www.aroja.cz) offers precision machining, assembly and engineering services to med-tech manufacturers. The company operates a 1200-sq-m workshop with a controlled dust-free environment, and is actively seeking a business partner in Ireland interested in sourcing machined parts and assemblies from the Czech Republic.

Contract moulder MikroPlastik (Prelouc; www.mikroplastik.cz) processes a range of thermoplastics from polyethylene to ABS and PVC and routinely moulds parts weighing up to 18 g. The company welcomes projects spanning part and tool design to full-scale production. To curb costs, it uses advanced hydraulic injection moulding machines.

Lemax (Prague; www.lemax.cz) manufactures a line of shielding products including laminar flow hoods, hot work cells and systems designed for the safe manipulation of radiopharmaceuticals. The company’s stated mission is to provide innovative shielding solutions that minimise risk for employees tasked with manipulating radioactive materials.