PIERCETON – Paragon Medical is constructing a 34,000-square-foot additive manufacturing (3D printing) facility at the company’s headquarters in Pierceton.
Thursday, the global medical manufacturing company held a groundbreaking event to kick off the construction of the facility that will support the manufacturing of porous titanium implants to start, and then grow into other materials as well.
Daniel Blum, vice president and general manager of Paragon for the Pierceton campus, said since 1991, Paragon Medical has been serving the medical and life science community.
“We’re 30 years into it, continue to serve the community, continue to invest in the community in the life science sector, in the medical sector. And, frankly, over the years, we’ve seen significant change to the industry and this is one of them. It’s great to be on the forefront of the evolution of technology and how that technology is going to change not just our today, but also our tomorrow. So it’s really exciting stuff to be a part of,” Blum said.
He said Paragon was building a 34,000-square-foot manufacturing facility specifically focused on additive manufacturing and technology.
“So the culmination of that is really everyone here, right? So we can’t do that without the individuals standing out here, performing the work, doing everything day in and day out. Our success, again, is not just one. It’s all,” Blum said, thanking all of Paragon’s employees.
He then recognized guests, including representatives of the town of Pierceton and its council, Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO), NIPSCO, Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, city of Warsaw and the offices of Sens. Mike Braun and Todd Young, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks and state Rep. Craig Snow.
Toby Buck, executive chairman for NW Life Science and founder of Paragon Medical, said, “We’ve got an incredible plant community. This is going to liberate a lot of potential inside of those plants to produce implants in this facility.”
He said the new facility was a “dream that we had hoped would manifest itself in reality a long time ago. We had talked about 3D printing because we knew it was, in essence, the fourth industrial revolution in this industry. It’s disruptive and transformative technology. This is a big deal for Pierceton, this is a big deal for the Pierceton campus, it’s a big deal for all of our global employees, it’s a big deal for our clients, it’s a big deal for the ‘Orthopedic Capital of the World’ … and the support that we’ve gotten, not only from the IEDC and the support that we’ve gotten from the (town) of Pierceton over the years … this is a dream come true and I always have believed in all of you out there. … Thank you for all that you do.”
IEDC Executive Vice President David Rosenburg, on behalf of Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, said, “Your significant $16 million investment is just the beginning. There’s going to be more. The significant $16 million investment, and the quality careers that will come from that, is truly inspiring. It’s helping build Indiana’s economy across the board. We don’t forget the more than 650 careers already throughout the state doing great work with good-paying jobs and creating and supporting our communities throughout Indiana.”
Paragon Medical, Rosenburg said, joins more than 230 other companies that have already agreed to locate or expand in Indiana just this year.
“Since the beginning of the year, companies in and around Indiana have committed to investing more than $5 billion into the state, and there’s more to come on that in this last quarter,” he said.
Indiana is ranked first in the Midwest and fifth in the nation in terms of places to do business, “and these and many other accolades demonstrate why Hoosier hospitality is true and we continue to be a great place for companies to come and expand,” Rosenburg stated.
The state also has the highest concentration of manufacturing jobs in the nation, he said, with 1 in 5 Hoosiers supporting this industry. That translates to more than 541,000 workers and 9,000 business facilities.
“We will not stop on delivering our commitment to building the best business environment in the nation so you can keep moving your businesses forward,” he said. “Please note your success is a benefit to all Hoosiers.”
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said, to him, almost as important as Paragon’s significant investment, “is the opportunity it’s going to create for our local workforce. You all standing out here are why we are doing what we do to improve the qualify of life in our community, to make this a great place to live.”
Mary Martin, regional director for U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, read a statement from Braun. In part, it said, “This facility will undoubtedly solidify Paragon Medical and MW Industries as leaders in medical manufacturing.”
The last speaker before the “turning of the dirt” ceremony and photo opportunity was Simon Newman, CEO of MW Industries.
“First of all, I’d like to thank our special guests and reiterate how grateful and how thankful we are for your continued support. It means an awful lot to us,” he said.
On Buck, Newman said “he is a true patriot, he’s built an absolutely beautiful and powerful business that we will continue to grow into the future.”
Finally, Newman recognized and thanked Paragon’s customers and the thousands of Paragon employees, “without which, frankly, we would not be standing here today.”
