FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 26, 2012

Contact: Stacey Swank

Pinellas County Economic Development

(727) 464-7425 or sswank@pinellascounty.org

 

 

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL (March 26, 2012) -  On March 30, ConMed Linvatec will celebrate the grand opening of its new Center for Orthopaedic Education in Pinellas County, Florida. The 16,000-square-foot training facility will provide advanced surgeon education, surgical skills training and professional development on the company's existing medical device development and manufacturing operations. The expansion is expected to have an economic impact of nearly $2.8 million.

 

"We expect to draw even more surgeons from around the world with this larger, more robust state-of-the-art training facility," explains ConMed Linvatec President Joe Darling.  "Innovation has long been a hallmark of our business success and this new enterprise will encourage future product developments."

 

Commissioner Kenneth T. Welch, Vice-Chairman of the Pinellas Board of County Commissioners, cheered the company's expansion, saying "ConMed Linvatec is a global leader in the medical device industry, and we're very pleased that they chose to continue to grow their operations in Pinellas. The announcement of this state-of-the-art surgical training facility is great news for our community and our local economy."

 

Andrea Falvey, Business Development Manager with Pinellas County Economic Development (PCED), adds, "What makes this particular project unique is the impact it will have on the local economy through its visiting surgeons. Lodging establishments, food and beverage providers, and other local services stand to benefit directly, while the area will gain exposure as visiting doctors experience first-hand our exceptional quality of life and established medical industry cluster.  We're thrilled to have been able to assist ConMed Linvatec through the process."

 

Indeed, ConMed Linvatec has been a PCED client since 2007, working with the department's staff as the company has grown steadily.

 

"Working with the team at PCED has been terrific," attests Darling. "With their help, we've employed opportunities to train our staff through the Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grant program, made connections with local suppliers, and, most recently, utilized their invaluable assistance in anticipating the initial building construction and permit planning requirements for our new space."

 

The company has utilized several IWT grants in the past and recently received another grant that will assist in training in their continuous improvement efforts involving process management and efficiencies for the manufacturing operation. Through pre-development meetings with Pinellas County Development Review Services (DRS), the company was able to identify potential issues early in the expansion process.

 

"We've found that working with DRS in pre-development meetings can really make the permitting process more streamlined for Pinellas County companies," explains Falvey.

 

"Growing a business is an exciting process," concludes Darling. "The staff of PCED holds the skills and knowledge that ensure a smooth transition during these growing pains. We are pleased to have worked with them through this project and look forward to continuing that collaboration in the future."

 

Center for Orthopaedic Education Grand Opening
March 30, 2012
3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

11311 Concept Blvd.

Largo, FL 33773

  

 

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