Medical Device Link.

BUSINESS PLANNING & TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Medical device manufacturers in Washington State are developing revolutionary methods for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, AIDS, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious conditions. Regional medical device firms are also leaders in the research and development (R&D) of ultrasound imaging and heart defibrillation products.

Washington State offers several incentive programs to assist medical device manufacturers with location or expansion. The incentives are detailed on the biotechnology page of the state's business assistance Web site, www.choosewashington.com. The main incentives include statewide sales and use tax exemption for manufacturing machinery and equipment, as well as deferral or waiver for taxes on facilities construction and acquisition of equipment used in biotechnology product or medical device manufacturing and nonmanufacturing property. Business and occupation tax credits are also available for qualifying R&D activities and workforce training costs. Additional business and occupation credits are available in rural counties based on the number of new employees at a company's facility.

Much of the state's medical device industry is located in the greater Seattle metropolitan area, where companies can take advantage of research at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, among other institutions. Pullman, Spokane, and the Tri-Cities area in eastern Washington are other regions of growth for the medical device industry. Companies in and around those cities enjoy a supportive economic development community, availability of affordable land, and proximity to Washington State University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute.