Last week, medical equipment manufacturer InTech held a groundbreaking ceremony to expand its operations facility in Athens.

The company, which now employs over 500 worldwide, began as Turner Medical in 1985 in Athens. It later developed into a specialty precision and machining for medical devices. In the mid-2000s, it was purchased by French company InTech.

The planned $23.5 million investment will bring an estimated 30 to 50 new jobs to Athens. The new facility will be approximately 100,000 square feet once the expansion is complete.

Limestone County Economic Development Association president and CEO Bethany Shockney stated at the ceremony, “We are so honored and pleased that InTech has chosen to continue to invest in our community and with this significant expansion, we will continue to support our diversified industrial base to include the medical devices industry.”

David Brackeen, vice president of operations for InTech, said the expansion would meet the global growth needs of the orthopedic market by producing more instruments, implants and robots used all over the world.

Brackeen further complimented the community while discussing recent efforts Athens and Limestone County had made to grow the local workforce by investing, promoting and improving the local technical programs.

“Over the last several years, Athens and Limestone County has done a great job of keeping our workforce growing by investing in our children by promoting and improving the local technical programs to better develop our people to be ready to enter the workforce with the skills needed,” Brackeen advised.

Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said InTech’s expansion “adds another fantastic chapter to this Athens story.”

“This $23.5-million investment with 30 to 50 jobs to expand InTech’s presence in Athens adds another fantastic chapter to this Athens story,” Marks said.