Zeus Expands its Catheter Manufacturing Capability

Zeus’ CathX Medical business has signed a lease for a new catheter manufacturing facility in the La Lima Free Zone in Cartago, Costa Rica. The investment expands CathX Medical’s manufacturing capacity to support customer programs as they grow, while continuing development and early production at its existing U.S. operations.

“This investment reflects how we think about supporting our customers over the long term,” Zeus CEO Paddy O’Brien said. “As their programs move from development to commercial scale, they need a partner with the capacity and consistency to grow alongside them. Costa Rica strengthens our ability to do that, extending the same quality system and manufacturing discipline our customers rely on today into the volumes they will need tomorrow.”

The Costa Rica facility complements CathX Medical’s sites in San Jose, Calif., and Arden Hills, Minn., and advances the company’s three-site model: New products are developed and built in low volumes in the United States, and Costa Rica supports commercial-scale manufacturing as those programs mature, all under the same quality management system, equipment, and tooling. The site will initially focus on catheter sub-assembly operations, with the same processes and quality standards upon which customers currently rely.

“Everyone in this business knows where programs stall, and it’s almost never the science, it’s the handoff from development into full-scale production,” CathX Medical Vice President of Catheter Solutions Matt Bradbury stated. “That’s the gap we designed the CathX model to close, and Costa Rica is the piece that completes it, giving a program one continuous path from prototype to commercial volume under a single team and quality system. For our customers, that can be the difference between a device that makes it to market and one that stalls on the way.”

Costa Rica is a globally recognized hub for medical device manufacturing, with a highly skilled workforce, strong infrastructure, and a well-established free trade zone system. The La Lima location positions CathX Medical alongside many of its customers, supporting faster scale-up and greater supply chain resilience. CathX Medical leases the facility with long-term renewal rights and the option to expand within the park as the business grows.

The facility is currently in its build-out and hiring phase, with operational readiness expected in Q2 2027 following equipment installation, validation, and workforce onboarding. CathX Medical expects to hire 100 team members in Costa Rica over the next 12 to 18 months, including positions in engineering, technical, and manufacturing operations. The company is particularly seeking candidates with knowledge and experience in extrusion, braiding, and complex catheter assembly processes.

“Our customers are looking for manufacturing partners they can count on as their programs scale globally,” Zeus Chief Commercial Officer Jim O’Connell commented. “This investment gives them added capacity and greater supply chain resilience, along with the confidence that Zeus can support their programs wherever they are headed.”

The new site adds capacity and does not change CathX Medical’s approach to development or its existing customer relationships. Costa Rica adds capacity to support customers as their programs grow. The facility will meet all applicable regulatory and quality requirements, including ISO 13485 certification and U.S. Food and Drug Administration registration before production.

Headquartered in Orangeburg, S.C., Zeus develops advanced polymer solutions that help accelerate innovation across medical, aerospace, energy, automotive, fiber optics, and other markets. Since 1966, Zeus has helped customers solve complex engineering and manufacturing challenges with advanced materials expertise and precision manufacturing. Through its CathX Medical business, Zeus also provides catheter design support and manufacturing services that help customers bring new technologies to market faster. Zeus operates a network of manufacturing facilities across the United States and Ireland.