Belgian firm Amnovis is a scalable partner for orthopedic innovations. From design to production and regulatory, you can rely on them to take your innovation to market. Coupled with deep additive manufacturing expertise and growing interest in 3D printed implants, this has been a winning combination. Amnovis can couple your innovation with the latest in 3D printed lattices or ground your idea in LPBF production methodologies. I really like what they’re doing and think that similar firms in other verticals will really accelerate our market growth.
Selected L-PBF metal 3D printers installed at Amnovis.
Now, the firm has expanded into the US by acquiring the additive manufacturing business of Westconn Precision Technologies. Amnovis’ new unit is in North Webster, close to Warsaw, Indiana, the Silicon Valley of Orthopedics. Warsaw was where DePuy Synthes (now a Johnson & Johnson MedTech company and global leader in orthopedics) was founded, and ex-employees and partners have created a myriad of orthopedics firms in and around the city. It now houses the headquarters of Zimmer Biomet and DePuy. So it’s a nice place to be for Amnovis, and a nice place to get noticed by the big firms.
Additive manufacturing of medical devices in action.
Amnovis has appointed Chris Cook as General Manager of the US Operations for the Amnovis unit in Warsaw. He will be joined by Jake Marasco on account management. Westconn is a family-owned Connecticut-based CNC and EDM shop specializing in precision machining. Amnovis hopes to mirror the Belgian arm exactly in the United States, allowing for redundant manufacturing at both sites under the same quality systems.
Additive manufacturing of medical devices in action.
Amnovis CEO Ruben Wauthle said,
“Expanding our operational footprint to the United States is a logical next step in the evolution of Amnovis. Being close to the largest medical device market globally, and specifically within the Warsaw, Indiana ecosystem, allows us to better support customers who require reliable, high quality additive manufacturing capacity with minimal logistical complexity.”
The company hopes manufacturers can split production between the two sites, giving them greater flexibility and allowing them to target more markets. Approvals should be streamlined, as should scaling globally in both the EU and US markets. Amnovis will be able to print, CNC and EDM at the new site.
Wauthle adds that,
“The acquisition of Westconn’s additive manufacturing activities further strengthens Amnovis’ position as a global partner for industrialized additive manufacturing- By aligning equipment strategies and technical expertise across both sites, we are able to scale our operating model globally while further reinforcing our already strong capabilities in metal additive manufacturing. This combination allows us to support customers with a level of consistency, scale and technical depth that is increasingly required as more customers develop applications that truly unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing.”
Titanium spinal implants immediately after printing.
The logic for the deal was “the size of the US medical device market, the growing demand for patient-specific and time-critical applications, and the need for flexible, regionally available manufacturing capacity.” The US market is huge, comprising perhaps a third or half of the global market. What’s more, FDA-approved devices are often cleared in many other countries that, in fact, outsource the approval process to the US FDA. It may be easier right now to get medical devices approved in the US than in Europe. A dual-regime setup will allow Amonovis to select the appropriate jurisdiction for the customer. If they can, then charting a relatively straightforward path to introduction in the US and Europe would really make sense for customers. Other solutions tend to be regional, so Amnovis may be the only one that can offer a straightforward path to both markets with one 3D printing partner. This could sway clients on choosing then rather than a competitor.
Please copy Amnovis and do the same for energy, maritime, the military, and many other markets. This model is just such a force multiplier for both clients and our industry, helping scale up new entrants through additive expertise and capacity, which is just what we need in orthopedics and beyond.
Images courtesy of Amnovis