The KLS Martin Group is celebrating the successful completion and opening of its state-of-the-art facility for the planning and production of custom-made implants in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2016, the group opened its first implant production facility outside of Germany in Jacksonville, which has significantly expanded recently.
With a construction period of 18 months, the 5,100 m² production area is now part of the North American campus, which also includes the KLS Martin LP administration building (opened in 2016) and the KLS Martin WORLD North America visitor and exhibition center (opened in 2019). With an investment of around 38 million USD, the new facility represents a significant milestone in the company's commitment to patient care, growth, innovation, and quality. The building was dedicated to Tom Johnston, the former president of the company site, who passed away at an early age.
His daughters were present at the opening and cut the ribbon together with Christian Leibinger, Managing Director of the KLS Martin Group. "We are pleased that the expansion of our production capacities will enable us to meet the steadily increasing demand for our custom-made implants over the years, and we continue to see great potential for our products in the American market", says Christian Leibinger.
The new production facility expands KLS Martin's production capacities and includes state-of-the-art additive manufacturing technologies used to produce custom-made implants at KLS Martin. Additive manufacturing processes make it possible to create highly complex and custom-made implant geometries, enabling optimal patient care.
The expanded production facility also strengthens the Jacksonville economic region by creating new job opportunities and boosting the region's economy. In total, the building offers space for 180 additional employees. A modern, inspiring working environment has been created for the team in the new premises.
One of the highlights of the new building on the North American campus is "Karl's Café", a cafeteria for employees that offers a wide selection of healthy and high-quality food options and has been named in honor of Karl Leibinger. Karl Leibinger took over the management of the German site of KLS Martin after the sudden accidental death of his father at the age of 24 and realized a tremendous personal dream by founding the US site in 1993. Another eye-catching feature is the staircase design, which is an absolute architectural centerpiece based on the design of the implants produced on-site. Another highlight is the so-called "Timeline Wall", a wall that guides visitors and employees through the history of custom-made products (Individual Patient Solutions, IPS®) and presents the milestones achieved.
The completion of the new production facility in Florida represents a significant step forward for the KLS Martin Group, fostering collaboration, innovation, and growth. The Group looks forward to the exciting future that lies ahead.
