Winston-Salem, N.C. – Today, Cook Medical announced that it has completed an agreement with Whitaker Park Development Authority Inc. to acquire a long-standing facility at Winston-Salem’s Whitaker Park. The agreement was completed on December 27, 2018. Cook will begin converting a portion of the R.J. Reynolds building in Whitaker Park into a world-class medical device manufacturing facility this year.
“Cook has a history of turning unused properties into valuable assets in our communities,” said Barry Slowey, president of Cook Medical’s Winston-Salem location. “We see Whitaker Park as an impact project in that we are converting a facility that manufactured cigarettes into a modern facility producing life-saving medical devices. We’ve been in Winston-Salem since 1983, and acquiring the Whitaker Park facility signifies a renewed commitment to this community.”
Built in 1961, the 850,000-square-foot facility will host Cook Medical’s current workforce of more than 650 employees in Winston-Salem. Cook anticipates adding 50 new jobs over the next 10 years.
“This space will offer us additional flexibility with production capabilities and represents our continued investment in the local community,” Slowey continued. “Whitaker Park presents tremendous opportunities for us to continue developing and manufacturing medical devices for patients around the world.”
About Cook Medical
Since 1963 Cook Medical has worked closely with clinicians to develop technologies that eliminate the need for open surgery. Today we are combining medical devices, biologic materials and cellular therapies to help the world’s healthcare systems deliver better outcomes more efficiently. We have always remained family owned so that we have the freedom to focus on what we care about: patients, our employees and our communities. Find out more at cookmedical.com, and for the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.