Medron adds extrusion capabilities

SALT LAKE CITY—Medron L.L.C. is expanding its thermoplastic capabilities by adding both equipment and personnel.

The subsidiary of Flexan L.L.C. has hired Clarence Williams as its vice president of thermoplastics extrusion services and, in a joint move, is investing to add two new extrusion lines at its Salt Lake City site to rehouse thermoplastic extrusion production.

The project is forecast to be complete in the coming months and is expected to add 3-4 new jobs at the site. Investment figures were not disclosed.

Flexan said the new equipment and capability will result in significant savings and inventory control in addition to providing the firm with new opportunities for extrusion projects and prototyping. Speed to market is one of the biggest benefits to adding these new extrusion capabilities. Williams said.

"We'll be able to go after some of the other OEM catheter operations that we haven't been able to in the past," Williams said.

"We'll be able to help customers with whatever issue they're facing and be able to turn things around faster than it would normally take. When you have extrusion right there, you can get them in less than a week. Those things are huge when it comes to getting the R&D developers their parts in their hands. Anytime you can turn things around quicker, it's always in your favor."

The new business will utilize a wide variety of thermoplastics, including polyvinyl chloride, polyurethanes, thermoplastic elastomers and nylon. Williams said Medron is aiming to have production validated and operational.

"I'm really excited about this," Williams said. "Between Medron, FMI, Flexan and now bringing in the thermoplastics extrusion, we will be able to do basically everything there is with a catheter shaft.

With Medron's ability to do the secondary operations we can now be a one-stop shop when it comes to extrusions. We will be able to do what most people can't do."

Williams brings more than 30 years of experience in thermoplastics extrusions, most recently serving as president of InnoTech Extrusion, a company he founded in 2015. He's also spent time with Vesta, Interface Catheter Solution and Innovative Extrusion, another company he co-founded.

During his time at Vesta, he met Flexan CEO Jim Fitzgerald, who was an executive vice president with Vesta from 2008-12.

"Jim Fitzgerald contacted me while they were in the process of acquiring Medron," Williams said. "All he could tell me at that point was that they were acquiring a company that was heavily reliant on extrusions. Once the acquisition cleared, we talked in more detail."

Chicago-based Flexan, a global manufacturer of high-precision elastomer parts, operates under two business units—Flexan for industrial applications and FMI for silicone-rubber molded components for Class II and Class III medical device—with more than 600 employees and five global manufacturing facilities.

Medron is a medical device contract manufacturing services company that offers a range of outsourcing services, including high volume manufacturing, customer private label capability, design engineering, product development and prototyping.

It works with a variety of materials, primarily urethanes, silicones and thermoplastics at its two facilities in Salt Lake City.

Flexan acquired Medron in December of 2016.

"We have the backing and the resources to help out in the capital portion more than anything else," Williams said. "With Medron already doing most of the secondary operations, with that already in their repertoire, and then bringing on the thermoplastic extrusions distinguishes it right away. We will immediately be able to offer things that other companies can't."