Nextremity Solutions had a grand opening for its new 69,479-square-foot building located at 1195 Polk Drive in the Warsaw Tech Park on Friday, July 23. The event included a ribbon-cutting with the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce. From left: Chamber Member Relations Manager Scott Wiley and Ambassador Scott Allison, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer, State Rep. Craig Snow, R-Warsaw, Nextremity President and CEO Rod Mayer and Co-Founders Drs. Stuart Katchis and Lon Weiner, Chamber Ambassador Scott Clay, the Chamber’s Angie Tom, Chamber Ambassador Brittany Lyon, the Chamber’s Doug Hanes and Chamber Ambassador Heather Lardino and President and CEO Rob Parker. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The idea was born on a few napkins.

It was developed on the East Coast before making its way to Warsaw. And on Friday, July 23, the next step in Nextremity Solutions’ journey came to fruition with the celebration of its new 69,479-square-foot manufacturing and corporate headquarters.

The orthopedic company, located in the Warsaw Technology Park, had a grand opening marked by various events, including a ribbon-cutting with the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, speeches and tours.

The company specializes in orthopedics for the extremities, explained Nextremity President and CEO Rod Mayer to InkFreeNews.

“We don’t work with total joint surgeons that’ll do total hips and total knees,” he said. “We work with surgeons that are foot and ankle surgeons, hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder surgeons.”

Development of the facility was a cooperative effort between West Hill Development, the city and Nextremity Solutions. West Hill built a shell building that Nextremity then finished off. The city provided financial incentives and has helped with infrastructure in the tech park, which is also home to two other orthopedic companies, Banner Medical and Medtronic.

The new home has allowed Nextremity to integrate its product development and manufacturing operations following the 2020 acquisition of Lakeland Technology.

Mayer kicked off the speeches Friday, beginning by crediting God.

“I cannot begin without acknowledging the origin of our success. That origin comes from a faith in God,” he said. “He’s ordained this day we believe by faith before we were even formed in our mother’s womb. Now for some of you that might be a stretch, but it’s not for this leadership team and it’s not for the majority of our team. So, I could not start this session of expression of gratitude without expressing gratitude to my Lord and my Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Mayer than referenced Drs. Lon Weiner and Stuart Katchis, the surgeons who started the company.

“Without Lon Weiner, without Stu Katchis, we wouldn’t be here today,” he said. Both were present Friday.

Mayer mentioned how the building wasn’t the culmination of Nextremity’s journey, but “a new crossroad.”

“I love the phrase ‘Begin with the end in mind’ and today brings us to a new crossroad, but this is not where the journey’s going to end,” he said. “I am quite confident we’re going to continue to see accelerated growth as we remain passionately committed to our mission and to our values and remain passionately committed to serve surgeons who serve patients around the world.”

Mayer thanked various individuals, including his family, the company’s leadership and employees. He also thanked local leadership and those who designed and constructed the facility.

Katchis and Weiner also spoke. Katchis thanked various entities and referenced the company’s start.

“We started this on a couple of napkins in our offices on 77th Street in New York,” he said. “Last night we had a dinner with our Nextremity family and the word that both Lon and I used in our remarks there was ‘overwhelmed.’ I hadn’t seen this facility except on YouTube until yesterday and I must tell you that it’s really an overwhelming thing that these guys have done here.”

Weiner referenced the teamwork needed to run the company. Nextremity works closely with surgeons, developing ideas that they have formulated.

Government leaders also gave remarks, including Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and State Rep. Craig Snow, R-Warsaw. The Regional Director for U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana, Mary Martin, read a congratulatory letter from the senator.

Indiana Economic Development Corp. Senior Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer Jim Staton also spoke on behalf of Gov. Eric Holcomb and Indiana Secretary of Commerce Bradley Chambers.

“I’d just like to reiterate what a blessed day it is for the city of Warsaw and for the state of Indiana to celebrate this with you today,” he said. “I’m honored to join the Nextremity Solutions team as you open this new facility and we gratefully acknowledge the more than 100 new Hoosier jobs that will be going into this facility.”

The company has room to expand in the building, which will add more employees to the 90 or so who are currently there.

“We’ve got about 30 new products in the product development pipeline,” Mayer also pointed out to InkFreeNews.

The new jobs are one component of what Mayer believes Nextremity does for the Warsaw area.

“I think simply stated we’re blessed with the opportunity to create jobs, but we’re also a company very committed to our community,” he said.

“When there are opportunities to support various 501(c)(3) organizations, we’re committed to doing so. Listen, I’m committed to do all that I can for our mayor and for our city council and continue to collaborate where there are opportunities to collaborate, so we’re very community-focused, very community-minded.”

Nextremity employees gathered for a group photo after the ribbon-cutting Friday. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

The company’s founders, Drs. Lon Weiner and Stuart Katchis, were honored with a plaque in the building. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

Employee John Goldner explains how one of the company’s machines works. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.