ANAHEIM, Calif.—IRP Medical has opened a new headquarters and added employees as it takes on new projects mostly related to diabetes management.
The San Clemente, Calif.-based division of International Rubber Products Group Inc. moved its finance, human resources and information technology departments into a new corporate office building in late 2019.
Central office workers had shared a facility for years with the medical division, which formed in 2012, but not anymore.
"In response to our growth, the corporate office is now on its own supporting IRP Group's three business units," IRP Medical General Manager Trey Atkins said at the Medical Design & Manufacturing West trade show.
"2019 was an excellent year," Atkins added. "We grew about 54 percent with existing customers and by growing some new customers—all of them medical."
IRP Medical has 82 employees who mold components for medical devices and biotech manufacturers. To keep up with projects, IRP recently hired a business development director, a dedicated tooling manager and an engineering director.
The three new engineering positions follow manufacturing investments and customer growth, according to the company. In just one year, IRP has gone from eight to 14 liquid injection molding presses and one thermoplastics press for critical over-molding applications for the medical market.
Atkins said medical uses now make up 89 percent of the IRP Group's market breakdown, compared to 9 percent for aerospace and 2 percent for consumer and industrial components.
IRP Medical is on the verge of another big growth spurt, Rey Obnamia, the division's vice president of technology and regulatory, said at the trade show.
"We're in the middle of launching several large projects that will result in growth of another 50 percent," Obnamia said. "It's all about project execution. We're investing in human capital and resources like equipment to make it happen."
Some of IRP's medical work involves production of liquid silicone components that support companies that manage and control diabetes. One component contributes to continuous glucose monitoring, which tracks a patient's glucose levels day and night. If the monitor detects blood glucose that is too high or low, it alerts the person to follow a treatment plan to keep it in range.
Some CGMs are separate devices, while others may be part of a system with an insulin pump, which can administer the correct dosage.
"We have a high focus on the diabetes market, which is unfortunately a growing sector in the health space," Obnamia said. "There's very strong demand for medical devises to be more user-friendly and less intrusive. Newer technology is seeing wider adoption in the market because it's improving quality of life."
In addition to managing glucose highs and lows, CGMs give patients insight into how meals, exercise and illness can affect glucose levels, which contributes to better diabetes management.
IRP Medical is one of three divisions of IRP Group, which is based in San Clemente. IRP Group also has divisions called MikronPMP Aerospace, which produces elastomer seals for aerospace and defense applications, and Abba Roller L.L.C., a manufacturer of rollers for the converting and lamination markets.