Case Study: a global catheter manufacturer accelerates plant automation and tech transfer with Sterling Engineering

Global Catheter Manufacturer completes a $40 million greenfield plant in less than 2 years with Sterling Engineering

Sterling Engineering was engaged by a global catheter manufacturer to address challenges related to a reduced labor pool, high training costs, and quality issues from manual assembly processes. The customer lacked the internal aseptic processing expertise and resources to undertake an automation project, which also involved integrating best practices from three different plants and required engineers who could speak Lithuanian and relocate for the project.

Sterling Engineering's solution began with a feasibility study and the creation of a five-year capital plan, which led to a strategic pivot towards building a new $40 million greenfield facility in Lithuania. Sterling mobilized a global team to manage the technology transfer, decommissioning lines from existing plants in the US, Ireland, and Denmark, and recommissioning them at the new site. This project was completed in less than two years, well ahead of initial estimates, resulting in significant operational cost savings and a favorable return on investment for the customer.