MERRIMACK -- A cutting edge medical manufacturing company that was planning to relocate to Merrimack has withdrawn its construction application.

According to Tim Thompson, community development director, Atrium Medical of Hudson, a fast-growing health care company recognized globally for designing state-of-the-art medical devices, will no longer be building a large office, warehouse, research and manufacturing complex as proposed last November.

"They are withdrawing the project," Thompson told town planners on Tuesday. The facility was expected to employ up to 700 workers.

Preliminary plans included a 311,000-square-feet building on a 43-acre industrial site near Campers Inn in Merrimack. Conceptual plans for the 3-story facility were originally drafted last August.

Atrium Medical, which was founded in 1981, manufactures more than 2.7 million sterile medical products distributed to more than 60 countries each year, according to its website. It manufactures leading edge technologies used in cardiac cath-labs and operating rooms, and is currently conducting several multi-center clinical trials, says the site.

Atrium Medical was acquired by Swedish company Getinge Group for $680 million last fall. As part of the acquisition, the proposed plans in Merrimack were re-evaluated, according to Thompson, who said it is the new corporate philosophy to work with existing facilities rather than build new.

However, Thompson said Atrium Medical is still working with town officials to possibly find an alternative site for a separate company project, although that is still very preliminary.

"We are encouraged that they are committed to Merrimack," said Thompson.
Atrium Medical's headquarters is in Hudson where it operates from multiple sites. The company was looking to redevelop at a large site where it can have all of its research, office, warehouse and manufacturing plants in one convenient location.

The proposed building in Merrimack was slightly larger than half the size of the Merrimack Premium Outlets now under construction in Merrimack.