Nearly 20 new jobs are being created by a contract manufacturing specialist for the healthcare sector. Essex-based
Europlaz, which recently launched its own neonatal flow sensor breakthrough, is looking to create new jobs in customer accounts, projects and production, as it looks to capitalise on a combination of organic growth and a significant rise in its own proprietary medical products range.
The family-run business enjoyed a 20% increase in sales to £12.5 million in 2024 and is now setting its sights on adding an additional £5 million in revenue over the next 12 months, with the management team also hinting at the possibility of embarking on a major acquisition push.
Katy O’Keeffe, strategy director at Europlaz, explained: “Our outlook for 2025 is highly promising, driven by a robust pipeline that combines the expansion of our own product portfolio with organic growth opportunities in contract manufacturing. A significant number of clients, whose sales have been stable year-on-year, have displayed strong increases, most noticeably our Tivatek product range, which we sell into the NHS via a distributor. The products we manufacture ourselves have also enjoyed a 33% rise, so you can begin to understand why we are looking at getting close to £20 million for the first time in our history.”
Europlaz, which is ISO13485 certified, operates from its ‘state of the art’ production facility on The Maltings Industrial Estate in Southminster, near Chelmsford. From here, the family-run business offers injection moulding, assembly, product validation and access to modern cleanrooms, all certified to ISO Class 7 for the manufacture of Class I, Class II and Class III medical devices.
Most of its work is focused on helping medical device and healthcare businesses commercialise new technology, with recent success stories featuring a home dialysis machine, a patient-friendly and easy-to-use breath-operated inhaler and a bio-artificial liver.
Trusted partnerThanks to the vast regulatory approvals it holds, the company also manufactures its own product ranges, including neonatal flow sensors that are soon to be trialled with Barts Health NHS Trust in London.
Rory O’Keeffe, commercial director at Europlaz, said: “Regulatory services is another key growth area, as an increasing number of customers depend on us to navigate the complex and stringent medical device regulation requirements. Our expertise in this area positions us as a trusted partner in ensuring compliance and market readiness.
“Acquisitions are something we are also looking at strongly. The ideal purchase for us would be a company that expands our medical product range, which we currently sell directly in the UK and internationally. By diversifying our portfolio, we can distribute the astronomical costs of annual surveillance across multiple product ranges, resulting in improved cost-efficiency and sustainability for us and our clients.”
Europlaz does not design products, instead its most successful partnerships are with world-class design specialists who take products from proof-of-concept through design and usability phases. The company has invested more than £3.5 million into its research and design and production capability to reinforce this reputation and this drives design for manufacturing and industrialisation, ensuring that the product reaches patients efficiently and effectively.
Ms O’Keeffe concluded: “We are probably one of Essex’s best-kept secrets, but this is slowly beginning to change. Europlaz is manufacturing products that save lives or make treatment better and this, alongside our commitment to sustainability, is something we are passionate about. 2025 is going to be an exciting year for our business as we capitalise on a mix of our own products, new contract manufacturing wins and the possibility of our first acquisition.”