When global companies join the Dutch life sciences & health ecosystem, they benefit from shared expertise, close collaboration, direct lines of communication and a strong entrepreneurial climate. Skytron Europe, a subsidiary of Michigan-based Skytron, offers a prime example of this synergy in action with its manufacturing and research & development operations in the Dutch city of Zwolle.
The company is one of the world’s top five players in medical equipment such as surgical tables, lights, and pendant systems. From its base in Zwolle, Skytron Europe designs and assembles modular pendant systems that support surgical lighting and medical monitors. These systems empower healthcare professionals with maximum flexibility and efficiency in operating rooms and intensive care units.
The Netherlands’ collaborative and well-connected environment is key to Skytron’s continued growth in Europe. The company has forged an active partnership with the TechMed Centre at the University of Twente to develop and test innovative technologies. It has also tapped into funding from the Operational Programme East (OP Oost) for Eastern Netherlands, co-financed by the EU’s European Regional Development Fund.
With its own engineering department, Skytron Europe draws from the Dutch talent pool to employ staff who have a deep mechanical design knowledge. The expertise emerging from Zwolle plays a pivotal role within the Skytron group, driving its pendant innovations and contributing to other Skytron product lines.
Custom solutions and innovation for medical treatment
Roderik Erens, Operations Director at Skytron Europe, describes how the company leverages its Dutch base to help hospitals across Europe upgrade their facilities: “Skytron Europe stands out through our commitment to tailor-made solutions. Unlike other suppliers that offer standard components, we deliver a wide range of configurations that align with hospitals’ specific needs. This allows for more efficient operating room setups.” This focus on advanced healthcare solutions to improve patient care aligns closely with the goals of the Netherlands’ Top Sector Health~Holland.
Innovation is also central to the company’s strategy, making it an excellent match with the Netherlands. Skytron’s recently developed Freedom Pendant offers an illustration. The system enhances usability with smart technologies like sensor-controlled braking units and ultra-light rotational components. “Sensor technology prevents collisions between pendant arms and other equipment, helping create a safer, more efficient surgical environment,” explains Erens.
Collaboration in Dutch ecosystem yields shared benefits
Skytron’s collaboration with the TechMed Centre in Twente (just an hour from Zwolle) showcases how foreign companies can fit seamlessly and find partners in the Netherlands. It’s one of several partnerships the company has developed with Dutch knowledge institutions.
Skytron and the TechMed Centre share facilities and resources, creating benefit for both students and the company. Together, the two partners are advancing research, innovation and education for next-generation healthcare technology.
For example, Skytron tests its Freedom Pendant at the Centre, using a camera system to observe how healthcare professionals interact with it. This partnership yields valuable feedback that helps the company refine and improve its solutions in a real-world context.
An efficient production chain and driving healthcare innovation
When it comes to producing high-tech products and distributing them internationally, Skytron sees the Netherlands offering a distinct set of advantages. “Excellent accessibility and a strong manufacturing base in this region are vital to us,” says Erens. “The proximity of suppliers and partners enables short lines of communication and a highly efficient production chain. This agility allows Skytron Europe to quickly respond to the needs of hospitals and medical professionals.”
As a result, Skytron is well-positioned to help improve hospitals’ operational environments in the Netherlands and beyond. The company’s cutting-edge Freedom Pendant system offers a tangible benefit to hospital staff, patients and healthcare systems in general.
Moreover, the advancements made in Zwolle ripple across Skytron’s global operations. The company’s pendant innovations with the TechMed Centre help to advance a broader spectrum of healthcare solutions, including capital equipment, architectural systems and real-time information systems.
In turn, these applications can impact various medical, surgical, sterilization and infection prevention settings in hospitals. For Skytron, working with the Dutch ecosystem means expanding the possibility to make the world a healthier place.
Source: OostNL
