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Governor Walz Touts Philips’ Med-Tech Job Growth In Plymouth
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz visited Philips in Plymouth to celebrate the company’s upcoming expansion. This expansion is expected to create 158 new jobs over the next four years in Plymouth.
Philips, which has a global headquarters in the Netherlands, moved into its Plymouth facility in 2019. There are currently close to 300 employees there.
A Leader in Medical Technology
Philips is known for light bulbs — but these days, it’s also a leader in medical technology.
“The only entity that produced more light than Philips was the sun,” Gov. Walz said, retelling something a Philips employee told him. “Which was true fact!”
The Plymouth facility focuses on image-guided therapy technology, which can be used for minimally invasive heart procedures.
The Philips facility in Plymouth/courtesy Adam Jukkola
“We are proud to contribute to the thriving device industry, and to collaborate to harness the full value of innovation in health care,” said Stacy Beske, senior vice president at Philips in Plymouth.
The Plymouth location will undergo a $31 million expansion. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded Philips Image Guided Therapy Corp. $3.5 million to assist with that.
“I’m happy to say that even though there are a number of question marks, of course, around the economic future, Minnesota enters into this moment with a lot of momentum,” said Matt Varilek, commissioner of DEED.
That money will help Philips fund an expansion of manufacturing, as well as its research and development. A med-tech training center will also be constructed, which leaders say could bring in thousands of visitors.
Gov. Walz touted Philips’ pivot to medical technology.
“A 130-year old company that is now at the forefront of making someone’s life easier. Instead of open heart surgery, and not having all the data, you have a one-day procedure with the products that are being produced here in Plymouth, Minnesota,” Walz said.
SOURCE: CCX MEDIA
