Spectrum Plastics increases catheter capabilities in Utah

Alpharetta, Ga.-based Spectrum Plastics Group doubled the size of its Sandy, Utah, manufacturing facility for vascular technology to 100,000 square feet as part of an expansion expected to create 100 jobs.

The site is the former headquarters of Apollo Medical Extrusion, which formed in 2013 and was then acquired by Kelpac Medical in 2014 and Spectrum, a contract manufacturer of medical components, in 2017.

Apollo became a brand of Spectrum products that includes tight-tolerance microbores and multilumen extrusion.

Following the expansion, the Sandy site also will offer full-scale catheter subassembly and manufacturing for Spectrum.

Earlier this year, Spectrum announced it had installed four new injection molding machines, ranging in size from 11-55 tons, at the plant to offer an integrated solution for the catheter subassemblies. The company also has a catheter center in Wall, N.J., formerly Adam Spence Corp., that has three injection molding machines for overmolding capabilities.

In Sandy, the facility features 15,000 square feet of Class 7 clean room space for producing the catheter subassemblies; new equipment for braiding, coiling, reflow, tipping and flaring catheter development; and an extrusion line with advanced controls and equipment to produce small- to medium-sized runs of drawn polymer monofilament, which can be used in braiding applications for MRI-safe catheters.

The expansion also includes a new training area and additional office and meeting space.

"This expansion is instrumental to accommodating the growth we've had while maintaining our excellent quality, service and lead times," Matt Bills, senior vice president for the Spectrum Plastics Vascular Technologies division, said in a news release. "Our top priorities have always been industry innovation and improving the customer medical device development experience. With this expansion, we will better serve our customers' long-term catheter manufacturing needs."

Bills was the co-founder and president of Apollo, which specialized in complex multilumens, sub-ultrathin wall tubing and other tubing designs made from nylon, PEEK and urethanes.

Now Spectrum is seeing increased demand for full-scale catheter manufacturing and microbore extrusion.

The company is planning an open house at the expanded facility in spring 2020.

With an estimated $25 million in annual North American tubing sales, Spectrum ranks No. 96 among North American pipe, profile and tubing extruders, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.

In addition to numerous U.S. plants, Spectrum has facilities in Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland and Malaysia producing parts and assemblies for medical, food and defense applications.