Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- Strategic Growth Trajectory: Heraeus Medevio has grown from 360 to over 650 employees in Costa Rica since July 2023, with plans to reach 800 by year-end as part of its long-term global expansion strategy.
- Quality of Life Through Innovation: Anna emphasized the critical need to invest in healthcare innovation to improve the quality of life for both aging populations and individuals with early-life health challenges.
- Costa Rica as a Hub for Innovation and Manufacturing: Costa Rica is positioned as a cornerstone for future growth, with plans to fully activate all three buildings for advanced manufacturing and R&D initiatives.
- Empowering Growth Through People: Anna takes pride in the site's rapid evolution and the opportunities it creates for employees to grow with the company and make a lasting impact.
- Leadership and Vision: Reflecting on the journey so far, she expressed a deep commitment to building a legacy of innovation, culture, and resilience in Costa Rica.
EF: Almost two years ago you joined Heraeus Medevio. What attracted you to this sector and role?
AJ: One of the main reasons I chose to join Heraeus Medevio was the clarity and ambition of its vision: to improve 100 million lives every year. Although we are not there yet—in 2025, we expect to impact about 51 million lives, which represents a significant positive growth and progress to the end goal.
Many companies in our sector act as contract manufacturers for diverse clients, but what sets Medevio apart is its well-defined vision. This clarity of purpose is both inspiring and motivating for me.
I have worked in the medical devices field for about 30 years, contributing to several companies. What continually motivates me is the knowledge that my work can improve—or even save—people's lives.
EF: Can you outline the evolution of Heraeus Medevio’s presence in Costa Rica and its current scope?
AJ: Our journey in Costa Rica began with the acquisition of Neometrics, in 2016. Initially, we expanded from Santa Ana to Cartago, eventually establishing our facility in La Lima, Cartago.
In phase one, we built over 5,000 square meters, and two years later, added another 5,000 square meters. Most recently, we completed a third expansion of over 11,000 square meters, effectively doubling the building’s size to accommodate thousands of employees. This structured growth provides ample space to support ongoing and future expansion initiatives.
Our Operations in Costa Rica are now significant and are comparable with our other sites in scale and capability. We’ve deliberately invested in both infrastructure and equipment to ensure that we can deliver the most complex finished medical devices, from components to finished sterilized products, directly to customers or their distribution centers. This has established Costa Rica as a true Center of Excellence for both catheters and guidewires within Heraeus Medevio.
Our Costa Rica operation is fully integrated—we not only manufacture components using processes like coiling, grinding, hopping, laser cutting, and laser marking, but also offer kit assembly, packaging, and sterilization. Our finished devices often ship directly to customer warehouses, enabling clients to meet their goals, on time and with world-class quality.
EF: How does the plant ensure operational excellence and maintain trust in product quality?
AJ: Quality is ingrained in Heraeus Medevio’s culture. The Costa Rica site is ISO 13485:2016 certified and registered with the FDA, adhering rigorously to the company’s global quality systems.
We ensure all products meet the customer's specifications before leaving our facility. We also have a culture of continuous improvement and rigorous testing and inspection processes. Our culture of quality underpins the trust our customers place in our processes.
Additionally, to support growth and maintain supply stability, we are vertically integrating—bringing more sub-assembly and key manufacturing processes in-house to better serve our customers.
With over $35 million already invested, we’re investing not just in infrastructure, but in new equipment and technologies to ensure the plant remains versatile and ready to support our customer’s product roadmaps.
EF: What sets your company apart as a partner of choice within the cluster?
AJ: There are several factors. First, meeting customer requirements is core to us. Every product leaving our facility must meet quality standards and be delivered on time. We measure on-time delivery for customers and internally. Our talented workforce can handle everything from simple devices to complex catheters and guidewires. We are well-recognized for our expertise, especially in specific niche areas.
As an example, last year we transferred a major project from California. We began building 50,000 units in January, reached half of a million by April, and are now producing almost 2 million units. That rapid scale-up and careful handling of new product introductions set us apart—we’re agile, ensure world-class quality, and meet delivery expectations at a competitive price.
EF: As you continue to grow with phase three, with the building being a similar size to previous phases, how do you drive this growth and take advantage of the talent in Costa Rica?
AJ: Absolutely. Currently, we have around 680 employees, and by the end of this year, we expect to reach 800. Our strategy is set to introduce enough business over the coming years to reach a workforce of 2,500 to 3,000 people.
We drive this growth by engaging our people, so they are committed to the company, its vision, and our culture. Many employees who’ve been with us since the beginning have developed into key members of our team through ongoing leadership development opportunities and programs. These individuals are our future leaders, and we invest in their development to ensure they’re prepared to handle our anticipated exponential growth.
As we move from manufacturing simpler products like guidewires to more complex devices and introduce new business lines, we ensure our talent has the necessary skills and support to meet the needs of our customers. We will also continue to attract and invest in new talent to ensure we are growing our expertise and deepening our offerings.
EF: What new initiatives are you planning around research and development, and how does this change the company’s profile in Costa Rica?
AJ: As a site, we are investing significantly in R&D, not just in manufacturing but in product development as well. For example, we will have our R&D lab here in Costa Rica focused on EP products. This means we’ll be able to make modifications and test innovations based on customer feedback directly in Costa Rica, rather than sending those changes to the USA as we did in the past, to ensure speed and efficiency.
This transition is a major step forward. Previously, Costa Rica was primarily known as a manufacturing hub. Now, we are moving into R&D innovation. In fact, we will soon begin R&D work on guidewires locally — a decision that marks a significant advancement. Our employees are motivated by this evolution, as we are establishing Costa Rica as a center for both manufacturing and innovation.
This new approach is tremendous for both customers and the business. Now, customers can interface with one team in Costa Rica for the entire end-to-end process — from initial development to ramping manufacturing. This ensures greater quality control, streamlines communication, and positions Costa Rica as a destination not just for production but for innovation as well.
EF: Sustainability is a core theme for Heraeus, especially operating in Costa Rica. How are you positioning yourself as a leader in sustainability?
AJ: Sustainability is central to our operations, and we have taken several steps to lead in this area and reduce our carbon footprint. Last year, we announced the installation of 1,309 solar panels — making us the third company in the La Lima Free Trade Zone to do so. We are planning to add similar installations in phase two and eventually in phase three.
Our newest building involved significant investment to ensure it meets green standards — from energy-efficient construction and careful resource management to reducing emissions and responsible waste handling. We process scrap and chemicals according to all Costa Rican regulations, ensuring that we operate safely and sustainably. These steps not only allow us to reach our decarbonization commitments but also contribute to our vision to improve 100 million lives every year.
EF: Looking three years ahead, as you approach key milestones, what would you like to toast to?
AJ: Looking ahead, I’d like to see all three buildings fully operational, filled with engaged teams manufacturing and developing both current and next-generation products. I am excited to see new projects around every corner and thousands of employees working together with our customers to improve lives worldwide.
