Medical device companies honored for establishing global HQs in state

Two companies that established global headquarters for their medical divisions in Minnesota were the first recipients of a new governor's award recognizing direct local investments by international manufacturers in the state.

Smiths Medical in Arden Hills and Heraeus Medical Components in White Bear Township received two of the four Governor's Foreign Direct Investment Awards at a ceremony in St. Paul on Thursday. Also receiving awards were Edmonton Trailer in Sartell and Peerless Chain in Winona.

The inaugural foreign direct-investment awards were added to a slate of economic development awards handed out annually by the governor's office to recognize international trade happening in the state.

All told, Gov. Mark Dayton's office honored 12 companies across the state Thursday during the annual International Trade Awards presentation. "Minnesota's stature in the global marketplace is a testament to the impeccable quality of our products and services," the governor said in a statement.

Smiths Medical, a subsidiary of London-based manufacturing and services conglomerate Smiths Group PLC, announced last December that it was consolidating some operations and moving 400 employees from Arden Hills to a larger plant in Plymouth. The maker of hospital devices such as drug-infusion pumps and intravenous catheter systems is moving at least 20 existing jobs into the state, and will create an undetermined number of new jobs at the location as well.

The company could have moved out of state as part of the centralization. The move to 6000 Nathan Lane N. will conclude in 2016, and may be partly funded from grants from two economic development programs. The company declined to disclose its total investment.

"With a world-class research and development facility at our new Plymouth world headquarters, and manufacturing operations in Oakdale, Smiths Medical looks forward to a continued commitment to growth in the Twin Cities through the creation of innovative medical device solutions," Smiths Medical CEO Jeff McCaulley said in an e-mail.

Moving about 450 employees to 5030 Centerville Road centralized operations from several Twin Cities locations and outside the state. Last year, the company announced it would invest about $2 million to expand the White Bear Township location, adding 55 jobs in the process, which qualified it to receive nearly $500,000 in state economic development grants.

Heraeus Medical Components manufactures parts sold to major device companies. That includes components like lead wires, housings and ultrasmall electrodes for devices like pacemakers.

"The proximity to our customers, availability of a talented workforce, and our ongoing relationship with White Bear Township were key factors in our decision to expand in Minnesota," Heraeus Medical Components General Manager Keith Foerster said in a statement.

Meanwhile, five organizations were honored Thursday for their work in growing a significant part of their business in foreign markets and developing new ways to compete globally. They were: Barrett Ag Services, Brainerd; Dombrovski Craft Meats, Foley; Industrial and Environmental Concepts, Lakeville; Tonka Water, Plymouth; and Winona State University.

"I congratulate these exceptional companies for their successes in international trade," Dayton said in a news release.

Joe Carlson • 612-673-4779