Media Release by IMCRC
The Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) congratulates its industry partner Stryker, a global medical technology organisation, on establishing its first Australian research and development (R&D) facility in Queensland, in partnership with the Queensland Government.
With the University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) on board, the facility will bring together researchers, clinicians and advanced manufacturers to accelerate Stryker’s R&D initiatives in Australia.
IMCRC has been collaborating with Stryker since 2017, co-investing in an $18 million Australian medtech manufacturing research project that is set to transform the way physicians surgically treat tumours and bone cancer. The five-year R&D collaboration between Stryker, IMCRC and five of Australia’s leading research organisations – RMIT University, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), University of Sydney, University of Melbourne and St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne – has incorporated 3D printing, robotic surgery, design and advanced manufacturing. The success of the project has catalysed further investment by Stryker in Australia, including for this new R&D facility.
CEO and Managing Director of IMCRC, David Chuter, congratulated Stryker on demonstrating strong industry leadership with this investment, and said the new facility represented the right framework for collaboration, industry growth and transformation in Australia.
“IMCRC’s business model focuses on facilitating effective industry-led research collaboration by safeguarding investment, nurturing unique talent and translating technical know-how into commercial and globally relevant products, services and processes,” he said.
“Through our work with multinational industry partners like Stryker, we have seen what can be achieved by creating the right environment for collaboration between local industry and Australia’s world-class researchers. If you get the model, incentives and partnerships right, this shows we can attract global leaders such as Stryker to invest into Australia, which puts us firmly on the world map as a centre of excellence for medtech innovation, digital health, design and manufacturing.
“I would also like to commend the Queensland Government on its commitment to supporting multinational investment in Australian research and innovation. Queensland is at the forefront of developing and implementing new technology and advanced manufacturing models in the medical space. The State’s investment in a rapidly growing, global industry and new medical technology capabilities – as outlined in its Biomedical roadmap – will no doubt bring more opportunities and highly-skilled jobs to the fore.”
“I am very proud of Stryker’s new partnership with the Queensland Government, QUT and UQ and grateful for the opportunity to drive forward medical technology innovation together. With a thriving ecosystem of world-class research, science and health sector capability, Queensland was a clear choice for Stryker to establish an Australian R&D presence,” said Maurice Ben-Mayor, President of Stryker South Pacific.
“Through our work with IMCRC and university partners, we have come to an understanding of how vital collaborations of this nature are to research collaboration and to encouraging future project and engagement opportunities with local industry and research partners.”
