The Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) has congratulated its industry partner Stryker, a global medical technology organisation, on establishing its first Australian R&D facility in Queensland, in partnership with the Queensland government.
With the University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) on board, the facility will bring together researchers, clinicians and advanced manufacturers to accelerate Stryker’s R&D initiatives in Australia.
IMCRC has been collaborating with Stryker since 2017, co-investing in an $18 million Australian medtech manufacturing research project that is set to transform the way physicians surgically treat tumours and bone cancer.
The five-year R&D collaboration between Stryker, IMCRC and five of Australia’s leading research organisations – RMIT University, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), University of Sydney, University of Melbourne and St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne – has incorporated 3D printing, robotic surgery, design and advanced manufacturing. The success of the project has catalysed further investment by Stryker in Australia, including for this new R&D facility.
Stryker has demonstrated strong industry leadership with this investment. The new facility represents the right framework for collaboration, industry growth and transformation in Australia, IMCRC CEO and managing director David Chuter said.
“IMCRC’s business model focuses on facilitating effective industry-led research collaboration by safeguarding investment, nurturing unique talent and translating technical know-how into commercial and globally relevant products, services and processes,” Chuter said.
“Through our work with multinational industry partners like Stryker, we have seen what can be achieved by creating the right environment for collaboration between local industry and Australia’s world-class researchers. If you get the model, incentives and partnerships right, this shows we can attract global leaders such as Stryker to invest into Australia, which puts us firmly on the world map as a centre of excellence for medtech innovation, digital health, design and manufacturing.”
Chuter also commended the Queensland government for committing to support Australian research and innovation through investment.
“Queensland is at the forefront of developing and implementing new technology and advanced manufacturing models in the medical space,” he said.
“The state’s investment in a rapidly growing, global industry and new medical technology capabilities – as outlined in its Biomedical roadmap – will no doubt bring more opportunities and highly-skilled jobs to the fore.”
Stryker South Pacific president Maurice Ben-Mayor said he is proud of the company’s new partnership and grateful for the opportunity to drive medical technology.
“With a thriving ecosystem of world-class research, science and health sector capability, Queensland was a clear choice for Stryker to establish an Australian R&D presence,” Ben-Mayor said.
“Through our work with IMCRC and university partners, we have come to an understanding of how vital collaborations of this nature are to research collaboration and to encouraging future project and engagement opportunities with local industry and research partners.”
IMCRC has supported and helped drive several industry-led research innovation and transformation initiatives in Queensland including:
- Stryker – “just in time implants” development, leading to the establishment of a medical technologies and manufacturing R&D facility in Brisbane
- Vaxxas – testing end-user usability, manufacturability and patient acceptability of its renowned needle-free vaccine technology which is set to be manufactured at a new facility in Brisbane
- ARM Hub – driving collaboration in manufacturing robotics and automation
- Urban Arts Projects – investing in design robotics for mass customisation manufacturing
- Verton – manufacturing the world’s first remote controlled load management system to control and manage suspended loads
- Mineral Technologies – mineral separation using additive manufacturing
Find out more at www.imcrc.org, or click here for more information on Stryker’s new R&D facility.