MeKo News

MeKo is known as a contract manufacturer of medical components with particularly tight tolerances, such as stents or heart valve frames. At this year’s COMPAMED / MEDICA trade fair, MeKo will present PolyMediX^®, its innovative polymer tubing used for the manufacturing of high-precision bioresorbable implants.

The high-precision PolyMediX^® tubes are made using an innovative manufacturing process developed by MeKo. Thanks to the particularly gentle manufacturing process, PolyMediX^® enables direct and non-destructive integration of drugs into the tube walls.

In this case, “poly” has a double meaning. It stands for “polymer”, but it also refers to the multiple possibilities offered by this manufacturing process. In addition to the ability to use a wide range of different polymers or different combinations of polymers and active agents for “medi”cal implants, this manufacturing process also makes it possible to integrate multiple active agents “X” or set an active agent gradient between the outside and the inside of the tube wall. With PolyMediX^®, MeKo makes it possible to manufacture implants from polymer materials that are perfectly adapted to individual customer requirements.

In 2011, MeKo presented RESOLOY^®, the resorbable magnesium alloy for scaffolds, which is already being used for resorbable implants today. With the PolyMediX^® platform, MeKo is expanding its repertoire in the field of bioresorbable materials and utilizing its unique expertise in the production of bioresorbable implants.

If you’re interested in the most recent developments regarding the fascinating material NiTi (Nitinol) there’s no better place for you than the SMST in the coming week in San Diego. Our engineers are around too and happy to listen to your ideas and discuss ways to turn your idea into a perfect medical device.

Team MeKo is looking forward to meet you at booth #111.

Experience our high-precision laser drilling services at the worlds largest filtration event FILTECH in Cologne, Germany - from today until Thursday. You are welcome to visit us at our booth #B37 in hall 8. 

Our laser drilling capabilities include a huge variety of hole sizes and slot geometries. Hole diameters of a few microns up to millimeters are just as possible as different materials like carbon steel, stainless steel and ceramics.

The applications range from sieves and filters to perforated sheets. High precision is guaranteed, even at very high perforation speeds.

Expert for laser material processing celebrates the 30th company anniversary

Dr. Clemens Meyer-Kobbe founded his laser-cutting company on May 1, 1991. For the past 30 years, MeKo has been a successful service provider in the world of laser material machining. With over 250 employees and a huge range of machining processes, MeKo has established itself as a multifaceted component manufacturer and has built a strong reputation in its market.

A few months ago, Dr. Jakob Dohse joined the management team and has been tasked with managing the expansion of our sites and the digitalization of business and production processes. As the husband of Dr. Meyer-Kobbe’s eldest daughter, the continuation of the company in family hands is guaranteed. 

Long ago our company was registered in the German Commercial Register with its official name “MeKo Laserstrahl-Materialbearbeitungen e.K.”. Since this time, MeKo has expanded significantly and offers now much more than just laser machining. To reflect this fact, the company officially adopted the modified, international name of “MeKo Manufacturing e.K.”

The MeKo logo has remained unchanged for most of the company’s existence, with only minor tweaks to the color and layout. So to mark the company’s anniversary, our logo and all our promotional material has been given a modern design. The new official name is also incorporated into the new logo. As well as the official main company logo, we have also developed the new branding “MeKo MedTech” for the medical technology division and the branding “MeKo MetalWorks” for the industrial and sheet metal division.

We are also celebrating our company anniversary with the opening of a new extension to our premises. The new building will provide additional 2400 square meters (26000 sqft.) of space for cutting-edge production processes, research and administration. The extension is scheduled for completion in November 2021.

Extensive in vitro and in vivo tests have been performed for a scientific study on the degradation of vascular scaffolds (bioresorbable stents) made from the RESOLOY^® magnesium alloy.

The results confirm that the degradation time of RESOLOY^® can be adjusted thanks to a double coating of fluoride and polymers. A significantly slower degradation is achieved in vitro compared to the Magmaris®. 

An additional advantage is that RESOLOY^® degrades with no residue. The animal tests confirm the in vitro results from the test laboratory and demonstrate that RESOLOY^® is highly biocompatible. The results of the published study demonstrate the high degree of safety and efficacy of the alloy.

The study was published here on January 1, 2021 by the scientific publisher John Wiley & Sons.

After more than 15 years of development, the unique RESOLOY^® alloy is ready for implants. MeKo manufactures scaffolds and other implants, which completely dissolve in the body when the healing is done. The first customer products are in the test phase.

More information about RESOLOY^®

Very First Implantation of VASCULOY^® Stents

Up to now, it hasn't been possible for patients with nickel allergies to use nickel-free metal implants.

But now - in January 2020, the first 36 stents made of VASCULOY^® were implanted at a specialized center for cardiology in Bangalore, India. "We see a great need in this area, and are giving medical companies the opportunity to implement their ideas, using a material that's well-tolerated by all patients," explained MeKo owner Dr. Meyer-Kobbe.

While many areas of application have already focused on using nickel-free alloys, up to now there has not been a suitable material for implants. A nickel allergy can lead to complications such as an increased rate of restenosis with implanted stents.

With VASCULOY^®, MeKo has developed an alloy which is not only free of nickel, but also free of cobalt. What's special about the alloy are its mechanical properties, which are comparable to the conventional material L605 and superior to 316L (316LVM). That makes it possible for MeKo customers to convert their existing products to VASCULOY^® without great expense.

Thanks to perfect aligned process sequences, henceforth MeKo offers its customers rapid prototyping in a few days. MeKo will present further details on April 4 to 6, 2017 at Medtec Europe in Stuttgart at booth E24 in hall 1.

Lasers are the ideal tool for prototyping. Components can usually be cut, drilled or welded with high precision and without time-consuming tool construction. Post processing steps are often necessary for medical products such as electropolishing, heat treatment, quality assurance, and many more.

MeKo manufactures prototypes on serial machines to allow straightforward certification and serial production of the components. The newly introduced RPM process and specially designated personnel ensure that prototypes are integrated smoothly into the production process. The quality remains high and the processing time is typically only a few days.

“Our customers rely on the high quality that characterizes our production of medical components. Now our customers can benefit from rapid prototype deliveries as well,” emphasizes the owner, Dr. Clemens Meyer-Kobbe. MeKo will also present innovations in resorbable materials and semi-finished components at Medtec Europe.

For 25 years MeKo has been a well-known expert for high-precision laser material machining. MeKo will present the latest processes and techniques from many years of development at COMPAMED/MEDICA in Düsseldorf from November 14 to 17, 2016. Visit MeKo in hall 8a at booth J07.

“We are happy not only to produce perfect components from various materials such as stainless steel, NiTi (nitinol), and PLLA for our customers today, but also to be able to offer exclusive innovations – such as RESOLOY^®, for example” highlighted the owner, Dr. Clemens Meyer-Kobbe. With RESOLOY^® MeKo will present at COMPAMED a bioresorbable magnesium alloy for scaffolds and thus an alternative to polymers.

For 25 years MeKo has produced medical components with tight tolerances and perfect surface quality as a contract manufacturer for numerous well-known companies. Dr. Meyer-Kobbe explained: “As we work closely together with our customers, we offer solutions customers cannot get elsewhere.”

MeKo presents new techniques and materials at Medtec Europe in Stuttgart – from 12th to 14th of April 2016 in hall 3, stand 3D01.

For 25 years MeKo manufactures medical components with tight tolerances and perfect surface quality. Customers receive an added value thanks to many self-developed innovations – like the bioresorbable magnesium alloy RESOLOY^®.

With RESOLOY^® MeKo presents a bioresorbable magnesium alloy for stents and therefore an alternative to polymers. In comparison to PLLA, it has about 3 times higher strength, thinner struts, a higher radial force and does not require stepped inflation. The degradation time of RESOLOY^® can be adjusted by coatings. It has a proven biocompatibility, no shelf life and no temperature issues.

On June 17^th 2015 MeKo was re-audited for the ISO certification. The auditors confirmed that MeKo’s quality management is in compliance with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 without any findings.

Read more about our certifications

Quality our customers can rely on.

On May 21^st, 2015 MeKo CEO Dr. Meyer-Kobbe gave a presentation at the EuroPCR 2015 in Paris about RESOLOY^®. In his talk, he explained the numerous advantages offered by this new bioresorbable magnesium alloy compared to recent polymers.

At this year's EuroPCR event from 19^th to 22^nd of May in Paris MeKo will give a presentation about the new magnesium alloy RESOLOY^®.