Ascential Technologies recently opened the 100,000-square-foot facility in Blaine.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.— Ascential Technologies reported that it expanded its capabilities and domestic manufacturing footprint by opening a state-of-the-art, 100,000-square-foot facility in Blaine, Minnesota. The new Ascential Medical and Life Sciences facility is intended to “help customers revitalize global supply chains through reshoring,” Ascential Technologies said in a release.
Ascential Technologies, formerly known as Burke Porter Group, designs, develops, and automates complex diagnostics, inspection, and test processes across medical and life sciences, transportation, and specialty industrial end markets.
Employing 150 people and equipped with world-class machinery, the new facility reportedly integrates the latest advancements in automation technology to facilitate production of medical and life sciences products and devices. Ascential described its automation technology as “the driving force that makes reshoring manufacturing from overseas locations a financially viable option for manufacturers in Minnesota and beyond.”
“As healthcare demand for advanced medical and life sciences products continues to rise, we recognize the importance of bolstering domestic manufacturing capabilities,” said Scott Watts, president of Ascential Medical & Life Sciences, in the release. “The opening of our world-class facility reaffirms our commitment to innovation, growth, and community development. We enable businesses to repatriate manufacturing capabilities, leading to the creation of jobs, economic revitalization, and a resurgence of American manufacturing.”
The opening of the Blaine facility follows a recent White House designation of Minnesota as a MedTech Hub. Led by the Minneapolis Saint Paul Economic Development Partnership, or Greater MSP, this recognition propels Minnesota onto the global stage as a hub for Smart MedTech. The goal of the MedTechHub is to “create a medical device ecosystem that is even more connected, more strategic, and smarter by incorporating cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science,” the release said.
“Companies like Ascential Technologies help distinguish our region as a global med-tech hotspot,” said Peter Frosch, president and CEO of the Greater MSP Partnership, in the release. “Today we celebrate Ascential Technologies’ investment in Minnesota and commitment to our region’s growth in next-generation medical device technologies.”
Ascential Technologies said in the release that it “tackles customers’ most demanding, mission-critical challenges where the cost of failure is high.” The company’s customers are reported to include Fortune 100 leaders and innovators, such as 3M, Abbott, Boston Scientific, Electrolux, GM, Medtronic, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Volkswagen.