PHOENIX, AZ – Medical device company Planatome, which applies atomic-level polishing from the semiconductor industry to create advanced surgical blades, has announced plans to develop a manufacturing facility in metro Phoenix to double the size of its workforce over the next five years.
“We are very grateful for the support we have received from the Arizona Commerce Authority. This investment demonstrates that Arizona supports business and innovation. Planatome is growing rapidly and we are expanding the reach of our surgical blades into new fields of practice,” stated Tim Tobin, CEO of Planatome.
The Arizona Commerce Authority will also support Planatome through the Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership (AZ MEP), which helps the state’s manufacturers achieve their business goals by connecting them with resources including workforce solutions, supply chain optimization and more.
Planatome’s patented surface modification technology is based on chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), a process used to planarize silicon wafers in advanced chip manufacturing. The process dramatically improves the surface smoothness of surgical blades.
The blades are approved for use in the United States and South Korea, and have recently been approved for use in several hospitals and surgical centers.
The company is investigating how to use its technology for other medical device applications, such as surgical scissors, laparoscopic tools and robotic end effectors.
