Alcon (Hunenberg, Switzerland) said it will expand its medical device manufacturing facility in Cabell County, West Virginia. The company hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 19 to mark commencement of the new facility. At the ceremony, West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III, Alcon CEO Cary Rayment and HADCO President Gerald McDonald, among others, spoke about the impact of this expansion for the company and the community.
"Alcon is a world leader in this field and this expansion will keep them at the forefront of intraocular lens technology and manufacturing," said Manchin. "We're delighted our strong workforce and business climate have played a part in their growth, and the entire region will benefit from even more good jobs that Alcon brings with this announcement."
Alcon said that it is in the planning and design phase of the project and will spend more than $25 million during the first phase of development. Plans call for the 74,000-square-foot building will be fully functional by 2011, allowing Alcon's Huntington area operations to remain the world's largest intraocular lens (IOL) manufacturing site.
MRG report says CRM market on rise
Millennium Research Group (MRG; Waltham, Massachusetts) reported in its Global Markets for Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices 2009 market study that the CRM device market has recovered after a slump caused by several device recalls in 2005.
This market will continue its recovery and growth over the next five years due largely to implantable defibrillator sales, which include implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds), according to MRG. While growth of the CRM device market will be less aggressive than was expected prior to the device recalls, the global market will grow to reach more than $11.5 billion by 2013.
Following recalls in 2007, the result of safety concerns over malfunctioning devices, the CRM device market has exhibited signs of recovery, with 2008 market revenues trending significantly higher than the previous year. MRG said that with manufacturers and consumers making adjustments in response to safety concerns and no recalls occurring since late 2007 confidence in these products is rebounding. The use of ICDs, particularly CRT-D replacement and upgrade procedures, will allow the CRM device market to resume expansion.