High-demand outsourcing needs have stretched medical manufacturing to nearly every corner of the globe. To serve its growing needs, global precision molder and contract manufacturer GW Plastics, Bethel, VT, is opening a medical manufacturing facility in Cartago, Costa Rica.

Located in the Cartago-Techno Park Free Trade Zone less than 20 miles southeast of San Jose, GW Plastics’ operations that serve healthcare OEMs in the region will first be housed in a 10,000 sq ft facility owned by Corprosemm Corp, Cartago, Costa Rica. Production in the 10,000-sq-ft plant for injection molding and ISO Class 8 cleanroom assembly will begin this summer. Early next year, however, GW plans to expand to a 33,000-sq-ft facility that is currently under construction.

Drawing on GW’s experience in meeting global outsourcing needs of healthcare product manufacturers and Corprosemm’s expertise in injection molding and contract manufacturing, the partnership developing between the two companies is shaping up to more effectively support customers in Latin America, as well as around the world. “A manufacturing location in Costa Rica will allow us to more effectively support our customers in Latin America,” says GW president and CEO Brenan Riehl. “We are delighted to form a partnership with Corposemm.”

Corprosemm was founded by a group of former healthcare OEM executives with backgrounds in the plastics and medical device markets. “Our experience acquired during many years in the healthcare industry will support GW’s decision to enhance its global presence with this manufacturing operation. We are absolutely confident in the success of this business partnership,” says Magin Mora, co-founder of Corprosemm.

Already home to Corprosemm and major manufacturers in other industries, GW’s new home-away-from-home, the Cartago-Techno Park, is part of the America Free Trade Zone, founded in 1999. This manufacturing hub exists to provide facilities operating under international quality standards in accordance with environmental protection laws, while also benefitting development in the Costa Rican economy. It is located less than 10 minutes from the Juan Santamaria International Airport and less than 100 miles from major ocean ports. GW’s new larger plant in the park will be able to accommodate a further expansion up to 44,000 sq ft, which leaves room to incorporate additional services offered by the company in other regions, such as assembly operations and precision conventional, insert, multi-shot and gear molding in addition to thermoplastic and silicone injection molding.