Christoph Brönnimann (left), CEO of the Swiss-based Medartis, speaks during a media event in Warsaw after Medartis acquired Nextremity Solutions. To the right is Rod Mayer, CEO of Nextremity Solutions. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Not only does Medartis plan to expand within the walls of its newly acquired Nextremity Solutions facility in Warsaw – the Swiss company is also eyeing an adjacent vacant lot to the north.

That was one of the insights that surfaced Friday, March 18, when Christoph Brönnimann, CEO of the Swiss-based Medartis, met with Nextremity Solutions CEO Rod Mayer as well as Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and the media just weeks after Medartis announced it would acquire the Warsaw company.

Brönnimann declined to say how many new jobs might be created in future years in Warsaw but was clear about their intentions.

“Absolutely. We have high ambitions. We put the U.S. market as one of our priorities to grow,” Brönnimann said.

“Given the growth that we are planning, the opportunities in the U.S. market, we got to very quickly grow into (that role),” he said.

Combining the companies sets the stage, Brönnimann said, “to build a fully-fledged medical device company dedicated to the U.S. market, dedicated to your surgeons.”

Medartis was founded in 1997 and is a global manufacturer of facial implants as well as upper and lower extremities. The company was founded in 1997 and has a research and development and manufacturing facility in Boston.

Brönnimann said the company’s Boston manufacturing site will be at capacity in two to four years. The merger, he said, gives Medartis an opportunity to shift the production of plates and screws for the U.S. market to Warsaw.

Nextremity Solutions focuses much of its attention on lower extremity products and had a grand opening for its new headquarters in the Warsaw Tech Park in July.

As it turns out, the two companies had already begun talks last summer that quickly led to the realization that both organizations could be a near-perfect fit in terms of purpose, vision and culture.

Nextremity officials welcomed the merger, calling it an exceptional outcome in an industry where maturing startups are often acquired by global players.

“It’s not bittersweet. It’s an excellent moment for our shareholders. It’s an excellent moment for our founding surgeons.  This was their dream,” Mayer said.

The availability to grow and being part of the Orthopedic Capital of the World made the merger even more appealing, Brönnimann said.

“The fact it is in Warsaw supports it all because, in Warsaw, you have the talent pool that makes the medical devices, there are suppliers that can leverage technology that we may not have.”

Thallemer, who led efforts to establish a technology park in Warsaw years ago, is now seeing the results.

“Somebody needs to pinch me. You guys are saying all the right things and I believe you,” Thallemer said.

“We brought people to the table with what we have. I’m humbled. It’s working. It’s doing what we thought it would do.”

One aspect that will change soon as a result of the merger is the company name. Outward references to Nextremity Solutions, including the exterior sign, will soon be put aside.

“We felt quite honestly that the Medartis brand actually carried a lot more weight and is more involved globally, said Dave Temple, vice president of marketing and corporate communications.

“It will change. You’ll see the sign change quickly,” Temple said.

Pictured from the left, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer, Christoph Brönnimann, CEO of the Swiss-based Medartis, and Rod Mayer, CEO of Nextremity Solutions. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.