Brentwood is proud to announce that it will open a medical manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Mexico, in early 2018. This second facility represents Brentwood’s first strategic international expansion dedicated to custom thermoformed medical packaging.
Mexican development
"We’ve been evaluating expansion into Tijuana for a number of years, particularly considering the large push in the medical industry to source all packing and components as close to the point-of-manufacture as possible," says Andrew Haus, Brentwood’s medical product line manager. "This new facility will position Brentwood very favorably in the market, allowing us to continue to offer industryleading service and value to our customers."
Located along the southern border of Tijuana, the cleanroom facility will serve Central America and the western US, an approach that aligns with Brentwood’s corporate expansion model of opening a site in a specific location with the intention of catering to that geography. The site also provides a critical capability for Brentwood: operational redundancy. Brentwood is confident that adding a new ISO Class 7 cleanroom environment will offer medical OEMs the security and flexibility required for critical projects.
"Our aim is always to pursue new opportunities," says Haus. "Whether that means coming up with an innovative design for a client’s project or best positioning ourselves – literally – to serve our growing consumer base, we will continue to invest in the medical sector to support the needs of our customers."
History of innovation
Brentwood entered the medical packaging market in 1978, when the company began producing catheter trays. At the time, standard packaging required catheters to be coiled, which created an undesired spring-like effect once the tubing was unpacked. The company responded by building its own thermoformer that allowed it to make trays up to 60in (152.4cm) long. In short order, the company’s first cleanroom was also built around that machine.
Brentwood’s most recent development brings the company’s history full circle, extending the long-tray forming capability to an industry-leading 72in (182.9cm). With the addition of a new, custom-designed Sencorp ULTRA thermoformer, the company can produce parts up to an overall size of 72.0×24.0×6.5in (182.9×60.9×16.5cm).
To complement its long-tray capabilities, Brentwood leads the industry in in-line forming depth at 8in (20.3cm), ideal for deep tubs and bins that contain large devices such as implants and pumps.
Transitioning these parts to an in-line process – from the typical sheet-fed production method – allows Brentwood to provide customers with the most cost-effective deep trays in the industry.
Additional capabilities
The company’s capabilities extend beyond packaging to injection moulding of medical components and heavy gauge thermoforming of housings for imaging and diagnostic equipment. Injection-moulded components range from small caps and closures to intricate medical device components, and can be moulded using a range of materials.
Diagnostic equipment enclosures are pressure formed to achieve highly cosmetic parts with crisp surface features and intricate textures. These competencies enable Brentwood to work as a full-service provider to the medical industry, offering precise, innovative and reliable solutions.