JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The KLS Martin Group, which produces surgical technology, announced Wednesday its plans to establishing the company's first U.S. manufacturing operations in Jacksonville.
KLS Martin Manufacturing will create at least 25 new jobs and invest more than $5 million in the local community. The KLS Martin Group currently employs more than 150 Floridians.
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KLS Martin Manufacturing will bring high-tech, high-skilled manufacturing and engineering jobs to Jacksonville. The focus of the new operations will be on precision 3-D printing and milling of products for reconstructive surgery.
The KLS Martin Group established KLS Martin LP in 1993 as a sales company with headquarters in Jacksonville that serves as the North American arm of the company’s global network. KLS Martin , which Headquarters in Germany, works closely with medical specialists on medical technology solutions and currently employs more than 1,000 people worldwide.
“The KLS Martin Group is excited to establish its first surgical implant manufacturing company outside of Germany here in Jacksonville,” Tom Johnston of KLS Martin Manufacturing said. “This new company will allow the KLS Martin Group to provide innovative products through cutting-edge 3-D printing technology that will improve patient care and surgical outcomes.”
Florida's advanced manufacturing industries include sectors that produce intermediate and finished products ranging from 3-D printing to plastics to aerospace vehicles. In total, Florida is home to over 19,000 manufacturers, employing more than 331,000.
“Florida’s job creators are growing across the state,” Crystal Sircy, Enterprise Florida’s executive vice president and COO, said. “Global leaders like KLS Martin are helping us demonstrate the state’s position as the best place for businesses to grow, and this new facility – their first in the nation – allows us to further tell Florida’s success story.”
Partners in the project include Enterprise Florida, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the city of Jacksonville, JAXUSA and CareerSource Florida.
“The strategic investments and tax cuts Florida has championed for high-tech manufacturers is helping to attract new companies like KLS Martin to our state,” Cissy Proctor, executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said. “I am excited to welcome KLS and its 25 new manufacturing jobs to Jacksonville and our greater Florida community.”
“KLS Martin is a global market leader in innovation and medical technology,” Mayor Lenny Curry said. “Their expansion in Jacksonville is a tremendous asset to our city and demonstrates our commitment to fostering an environment that contributes to increased economic development, improved quality-of-life offerings and a skilled and talented workforce. I could not be more thrilled for the opportunities this creates for our citizens and community.”
“The selection of Florida as the site for KLS Martin Group’s first U.S. manufacturing facility is a testament to the state’s increasingly skilled workforce. Ranked second in the nation for FDA-registered medical device manufacturing facilities, Florida is home to nearly 19,000 workers in this industry. We are proud to partner with businesses, like KLS Martin Group, to contribute to the state’s economy and the growth of this industry,” CareerSource Florida president and CEO Chris Hart IV said.
The company considered a number of cities across the country when deciding on a site for its manufacturing operations. Ultimately, Jacksonville’s competitive location, access to talent and current footprint were key reasons in the company’s decision, officials said.
“KLS Martin is an outstanding company and we are thrilled its leaders have decided to expand their footprint in Jacksonville," said Jacksonville City Council Member Greg Anderson, who was council president when the project was approved by the council earlier this year. "These are the type of highly-skilled, advanced manufacturing jobs we are looking to create, and we thank KLS Martin for their investment in Northeast Florida.” , said.
“It’s always encouraging when a company has one line of its business here and then chooses Jacksonville when it’s time to invest and grow another division,” Mark Frisch, chair of JAXUSA Partnership, said. “This project with KLS Martin is another great example that we are a place full of wide-open opportunities for global companies across our target industries and have the skilled workforce businesses need to succeed.”