The recent Kosciusko Leadership Academy session was sponsored by the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Mary Kittrell welcomed the KLA cadets and provided an overview of tourism in Kosciusko County. Bob Hastings, research director, DePuy Synthes, provided a history of the orthopedic industry in the county. Warsaw is the orthopedic capital of the world due to the largest concentration of orthopedic headquarters, manufacturers and providers. In 1895, Revra DePuy operated DePuy Manufacturing out of Hotel Hayes. The first product manufactured was paper fiber splints. As the company grew and changed locations, additional employees were added. Several of these employees went on to start their own orthopedic companies, including Zimmer, OEC, Biomet and others. Brad Bishop, executive director, OrthoWorx, provided information about OrthoWorx which was formed to promote, protect and advance the orthopedic industry. Zimmer, headquartered in Warsaw, remains the largest employer in town and is the industry leader in knee replacements. Zimmer and Biomet are in the process of seeking approval to form one company from the two. OrthoWorx was created in 2009 as a forum for companies and the community to work together. OrthoWorx concentrates on branding and awareness, education and schools, and skills for the orthopaedic industry. Seth Nash, director of product management, hips, Biomet, offered a global perspective and introspective look at the U.S. market. The current world population density and income growth shows there are areas outside of the United States that are rapidly growing in regards to the population’s ability to pay for medical costs. “Globally, the orthopedic market is still a growth industry. Maybe the new reality is 1 to 5 percent growth a year, overall, where double digit growth was the norm,” Nash said. The Medical Device Excise Tax is limiting the ability for companies to invest. Medical devices are not the driving increases in health care costs as medical devices have increased only slightly. Warsaw will be the first to realize what the future combined Zimmer and Biomet companies’ impact on the community will be, he said. KLA is a not-for-profit organization devoted to serving Kosciusko County by encouraging leaders and future leaders to dream and create a better community through white paper projects.
