Irish orthopaedic contract manufacturer Croom Medical has commenced construction of a purpose-built 38,000-square-foot facility at its manufacturing campus in Croom, County Limerick, marking the largest single capital investment in the company's 42-year history, according to a Med-Tech Insights report.

The development, known as the Advanced Centre of Orthopaedic Technologies, or ACOT, is designed to consolidate the full spectrum of orthopaedic manufacturing processes under a single roof. These include precision CNC machining, lights-out machining and grinding, multi-material additive manufacturing, vacuum furnace heat treatment, electropolishing, anodising, automated polishing and finishing, digital inspection and clean-and-pack operations.

ACOT is intended to support original equipment manufacturer partners across the full product lifecycle, from early-stage design and prototyping through to validated serial production across shoulder, hip, knee, spine, trauma and sports medicine devices. The vertically integrated model is designed to reduce handoffs, accelerate time to market and centralise manufacturing responsibility under one partner.

The facility has been developed with support from Enterprise Ireland and will be solar-powered and digitally connected. ACOT has been designed with specific reference to industry trends including cementless fixation, robotic-assisted surgery and additive manufacturing at scale.

Patrick Byrnes, chief executive of Croom Medical, said: "ACOT is a strategic investment designed around where this industry is going next. For our OEM partners, it means deeper integration, advanced capability, and a facility built around their roadmaps. At the same time, it creates high-value roles and long-term career opportunities here in Croom, strengthening the local economy and the community that has supported us for over four decades."

Construction is underway with completion expected by the end of 2026.

Read the full story behind Croom Medical's most ambitious expansion to date in the complete article.