MecWash Systems Ltd, based in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, is a leading manufacturer of industrial parts washing machines designed to meet the stringent cleanliness standards of the medical industry. With regulations in the healthcare sector requiring absolute precision in cleanliness, MecWash delivers tailored cleaning systems that ensure components are free from contamination - critical for patient safety and product performance.

Precision Cleaning for Surgical Implants

MecWash has been working with medical implant manufacturers in Ireland for many years. A recent addition to the customer list is Croom Precision Medical, a specialist in manufacturing Class II and III medical implants. Croom chose MecWash’s MWX400 system to enhance their component cleaning processes. These implants must meet the highest quality standards.

Croom Precision Medical chose MecWash’s MWX400 system to ensure effective removal of contaminants

Croom rigorously tested the system to ensure effective removal of contaminants including oils, swarf, and polishing compound. CEO Patrick Byrnes noted, “The MecWash machine meets all our requirements and more by delivering a controlled, validated outcome for each cycle. Operator interference is completely removed, which was a major win for our quality team.”

John Pattison, Managing Director of MecWash, added, “Croom’s implants require extremely high precision, and our technology ensures a reliable and repeatable cleaning process. The MWX400 has significantly improved both the speed and quality of their operations.”

Long-Term Partnership with Advanex Europe

Advanex Europe first approached MecWash in 2012 seeking a cleaning solution for delicate medical components, such as medical coil springs and metal pressings used in Metered dose inhalers, auto injection systems and nasal sprays. The delicate composition of these products required a gentle cleaning process, in addition to guaranteed cleanliness. After successful trials, Advanex purchased an AVD 300 system featuring ultrasonic, flood and spray wash, hot air and vacuum drying, and programmable rotation speeds.

Operations Manager Rob Newham explained, “We trialled several companies to achieve improved cleanliness for our parts; MecWash was not only able to supply the most suitable equipment, but it also provided the correct chemical formulated to our specific requirements, achieving fantastic results that were beyond our expectations.”

The MWX400 has provided a leap forward in efficiency for Advanex Europe

As production scaled, Advanex invested in additional MecWash systems: a Duo in 2018 and an MWX400 in 2024. “Each of the machines we have purchased from MecWash have provided us with a leap forward in efficiency. The MWX400 has made a substantial difference in the volume and speed of the parts washing. The previous MecWash machines exceeded our expectations and the MWX400 has done exactly the same.” said Rob.

Supporting Medical Manufacturing During the Pandemic

The importance of clean manufacturing in healthcare was thrust into the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, MecWash supplied an AVD machine to BNOS Meditech, a manufacturer of medical equipment, including medical gas regulators, flow meters and resuscitators, to help them meet the unprecedented surge in demand. Meditech played a key role in equipping Nightingale hospitals with these vital medical devices.

The AVD system significantly improved the efficiency of removing machining swarf and oils, allowing Meditech to rapidly increase production of resuscitators and oxygen regulators.

Duncan Riches, Stores Manager at Meditech with the MecWash AVD system

Duncan Riches, Stores Manager at Meditech, remarked: “At the busiest time we saw an increase in business of around two years’ worth of orders in the space of 10 days, and our existing ultrasonic washer couldn’t cope with the demand. Our new MecWash machine takes a huge quantity of parts compared to our last one and the cleaning quality of the machine gives us full confidence that everything we produce is cleaned to the highest of standards.”

Engineering for the Future of Medical Manufacturing

MecWash’s reputation in the medical sector is built on technical precision and customer collaboration. Their systems are not only designed to meet strict cleanliness requirements, but they also feature smart technology for system monitoring and maintenance—reducing downtime and ensuring process consistency and optimisation.

“Our customers in the medical industry demand the highest standards,” said John Pattison. “We work closely with them to design and build cleaning systems tailored to their specific manufacturing processes. Whether it’s interstage cleaning or final cleaning, our technology ensures that each and every part meets the critical requirements of modern medical applications.”