Sterigenics International, the leading global provider of contract sterilization, lab services, gamma technologies and medical isotopes, completed a major expansion of its sterilization facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

According to company officials, the $17.5 million expansion includes the installation of a new, state-of-the art Nordion JS10000 gamma irradiator that will dramatically increase Sterigenics' total capacity, allowing customers to better address their geographic needs by taking advantage of Fort Worth's growing importance as a commercial gateway to the United States.

"Fort Worth's location along major transportation links makes it a natural distribution and logistics hub for manufacturers and for imports into the United States," said Philip Macnabb, President of Sterigenics. "Our investment gives Sterigenics the extra capacity we need to benefit from these opportunities and will help make us the provider of choice for sterilization services in the Southwest."

The expansion increases the facility's total sterilization throughput by 60%, adding 50,000 pallets per year in capacity, 20 new employees, and 60,000 sq. ft. to the building's footprint. At 145,000 sq. ft. Fort Worth is now the largest operation in Sterigenics' global network.

"Local and regional demand for sterilization in Fort Worth has been growing for years," said Aaron Morrison, General Manager. "This additional gamma capacity can shorten turnaround times for sterilization customers, helping them get their products into the market faster."

To address the growing need for sterilization in many parts of the world, Sterigenics is making significant investments in technology to expand both Gamma and Ethylene Oxide capacity throughout its global network.

On the Gamma side, in June, 2017, Sterigenics completed a project that tripled throughput at its operation in West Memphis, Arkansas, and opened a significant expansion in Gurnee, Illinois, in 2015.