PMC expands medical work

Plastics News Article, February 2, 2009

With an investment of $2 million over the past two years, PMC LLC is building its PMC Medical division to add more medical device work. “Our medical business is growing significantly. The rest of the business is holding steady with the economy,” said Lisa Jennings, president of PMC LLC, in a recent telephone interview.

PMC Medical recently gained ISO 13485:2003 certification and is targeting the surgical device and implantable biomaterial markets. Its products are used in orthopedic, spine, cardiology and other applications.

The company, which is headquartered in Cincinnati, put up a Class 100,000 clean room along white room space at its manufacturing plant in Shelbyville, Ind. It has also installed two all-electric Milacron Roboshot presses — with clamping forces of 33 and 110 tons — and the company plans to add another in 2009.

“We are in process of exploring Class 10,000 for some implantable devices,” she said.

Shelbyville has 70,000 square feet of space and includes a tool room. Overall, it has 40 presses, ranging up to 400 tons.

Lowell Green, the company’s director of manufacturing, served as the general contactor in the construction of the clean room. He designed a clean room that is modular and expandable.

The company has focused in the past on commercial electronics and automotive work. It specializes in high-temperature specialty materials, such as polyetheretherketone. It also has done many metal-to-plastic conversions.

Jennings said PMC’s work with high-temperature materials, insert molding and assembly has led to enquiries about medical work. She said the company’s systems and processes have been valuable assets in adding the new work.

PMC stresses its quality systems and has a proprietary PMC Smart Solutions system.

She said that moving into medical work meant hiring experienced staff and also adding extensive training.

“Our approach at PMC was to develop all these things and build a resume before approaching the medical community,” said Jennings, who is the fourth generation family member to lead the company.

Jennings’ great-grandfather Ed Gerdes founded the company in 1929 with Joe Merke. Her father, Thom Gerdes, is currently chairman.

PMC also does manufacturing in San Jose Iturbide, Mexico, and Wiesau, Germany.