Strategic partnership with ECM Europe
Co-packer and co-manufacturer Vetico is expanding its activities into a new sector. The company has entered into a strategic partnership with ECM Europe, which is active in the supply chain for high-quality medical supplies. The partnership between the Dutch companies will enable both companies to grow, in terms of both quality and quantity.
The partnership agreement was signed by the shareholders of both companies on 15 March, as a result of which both companies have become the owners of ECM Holding B.V. Vetipak will mainly support ECM with its knowledge in the fields of engineering, automation, and the upscaling of production. This will enable ECM to scale up its production considerably and open a second location in the very near future.
Adding value in the supply chain
According to Mark van der Burgt, Chief Commercial Officer at Vetico, the two companies are an excellent fit. “We’re both European players that are family firms at heart. Plus, we’re both constantly looking for ways to add value: from development and assembly to production and packing. Now we’ll be applying Vetipak’s knowledge and experience in the field of innovation to benefit ECM as well. And Vetipak will benefit by acquiring new knowledge about the high-quality approach that characterizes the supply chain for medical supplies. The Medical Device Regulation, the strict European legislation for medical supplies, plays a significant role in this.”
Second location
No further changes are planned for ECM’s operational organization over the coming years. The four-person board will also remain at the helm to lead the company into its next phase. Jeanne van Gerwen, Managing Director at ECM, is pleased with the partnership: “We’re an extremely healthy company with an order portfolio that is full for the next several years. Our main challenge is to continue to satisfy our customers’ growing demand, in terms of both quality and quantity. With Vetipak’s knowledge and expertise, we’ll be able to do that. That’s good for our customers, and it presents new opportunities for our current employees as well as our future workers, because we will definitely need more workers in the future.”
About ECM Europe
ECM Europe is specialized in the development, assembly, production, sterilization, and packing of high-quality medical supplies. The company from Gemert, the Netherlands, has earned a leading role in the European market, especially in the areas of medical tubing sets and medical swabs. These items are used by hospitals throughout Europe for treatments such as open heart surgery, blood and fluid warming, ophthalmology, and organ transplants. ECM has been operating for more than 30 years, and employs around 50 people.
