Irvine-based heart-valve maker Edwards Lifesciences Corp. once again is the largest employer in Orange County’s medical device industry, this week’s Business Journal list shows.
The 29 largest medical device makers in Orange County added 442 jobs in the 12 months ended in August, up 3% from a year ago.
List entries combined to employ 15,537 workers in the county. The list is made up of companies that are either based or have major operations in Orange County.
Medical device makers have enjoyed four years of growth, following a 7% increase in employment for the companies that were on last year’s list. Device makers in the county make a range of products such as implants, replacement heart valves, lasers used for eye surgery and catheters.
Fourteen of the companies on this year’s list added jobs, two reported fewer workers and three reported flat numbers. Totals for 10 companies are Business Journal estimates for this year or last.
Edwards said its local work force totaled 2,516 workers, up 7% from a year ago.
It became the Orange County medical device employment leader in 2009, when it posted a 10% job hike to pass perennial leader Beckman Coulter Inc. Beckman, a maker of medical testing machines and supplies, was acquired last year for $6.8 billion by Washington, D.C., conglomerate Danaher Corp.
Edwards received Food and Drug Administration approval in November for Edwards Sapien, its transcatheter heart valve that was one of the most anticipated medical devices in years. Sapien has accounted for $267.3 million of Edwards’ $941.2 million in sales through the first six months of 2012.
This year’s list has a new No. 2: Applied Medical Resources Corp. of Rancho Santa Margarita. The Business Journal estimates Applied has 1,546 local employees.
Applied makes catheters, clamps, stents, guide wires and devices used in laparoscopic surgeries. The privately held company has been in a battle with shareholder Institutional Venture Partners, which owns about 25% of the company.
Applied in November unveiled plans for a $95 million initial public offering but hasn’t yet acted on the filing. The company has said in the past that it has grown because of the hospital industry’s push to control costs.
Bethlehem, Pa.-based B. Braun Medical Inc.—which has its local operations in Irvine and a warehouse in Westminster—rose to the No. 3 spot. B. Braun, a unit of Germany-based B. Braun Melsungen AG, said OC employment grew 2% to 1,355 workers.
B. Braun makes needle-free intravenous connectors and drug delivery devices.
Beckman fell to No. 4 on this year’s list. The company’s employment declined 4% over the year to 1,350 workers.
4% Uptick
Alcon Research Ltd., a unit of Fort Worth, Texas-based Alcon Inc., repeated at No. 5 with 850 OC workers, up 4% from a year ago.
Alcon, whose parent company is Switzerland-based Novartis AG, said in June it would expand its local operations. It signed an 11-year lease for three buildings in the Serrano Creek office park in Lake Forest and will move 400 surgical research and development employees from its Alton Parkway facility to Lake Forest next year.
Alcon makes eye surgical devices here and competes with No. 10 Abbott Medical Optics Inc. of Santa Ana.
The new No. 6 entry is MicroVention Inc., a Tustin-based unit of Terumo Corp. in Japan. MicroVention said it had 750 workers in the county, up 7% from a year ago.
MicroVention makes devices to treat cerebral aneurysms. Parent Terumo has $4 billion in sales and operations in more than 160 countries.
Medtronic Heart Valves continued at No. 7 on this year’s list with 700 Orange County employees. Medtronic is building a large plant in Santa Ana that will consolidate workers now spread among Santa Ana, Irvine and Lake Forest. Its products include Medtronic CoreValve, a less-invasive replacement heart valve that competes with Edwards Sapien in Europe.
Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc. in Tustin slid to No. 8 on the list with 698 workers, essentially flat from a year earlier. Toshiba America is part of Japan-based Toshiba Corp. It markets, sells, distributes and services radiology and cardiovascular systems, including CT, MR, ultrasound, x-ray and vascular equipment.
A Danaher business unit again ranked at No. 9—Orange-based dental products maker Sybron Dental Specialties Inc. The Business Journal estimates Sybron has 600 workers locally.
No. 10 Abbott Medical said its local work force fell 5% to 590 employees. Abbott Medical makes devices used to remove cataracts and correct vision, along with contact-lens-care solutions.
James Mazzo, Abbott’s longtime leader, will be retiring from his job at the end of 2012. He was charged with insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission last month.
Regulators allege Mazzo made illegal tips concerning Abbott Laboratories’ $2.8 billion acquisition of the then-Advanced Medical Optics Inc. in 2009. Mazzo has denied the charges.
Biolase Inc., an Irvine-based maker of lasers used in dentistry, posted the largest jobs gain. Biolase’s work force grew 22% to 117 employees in Irvine. That was good for No. 27 on the list.
