April 2026 — Switchback Medical, a medical device contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), announced it has signed a lease for a new 18,000-square-foot facility in Coyol Free Zone, Costa Rica, marking a significant expansion of its global manufacturing and development capabilities. The site will include a 3,500-square-foot cleanroom.

The facility is designed to support medical device component manufacturing with the ability to expand capabilities over time. Development and product transfers will start immediately, followed by manufacturing and ISO 13485 certification later this year. Switchback Medical will be supporting both existing customer programs and new development initiatives.

The Coyol Free Zone facility represents the first phase of Switchback’s broader Costa Rica strategy, with a second, larger site planned in Evolution Free Zone, expected to open in 2027. Together, these facilities will create a scalable footprint to support near-term manufacturing demand and long-term growth.

This expansion reflects a strategic investment in Costa Rica’s growing medtech ecosystem, offering Free Trade Zone benefits, a skilled workforce, and proximity to both U.S. markets and local customers. Driven by increasing demand for scalable manufacturing and R&D/PD support, the new facility will enhance Switchback’s ability to support development programs and high-volume production while improving cost efficiency for customers.

The company will leverage its design expertise to provide quick-turn development support for in-country R&D and PD teams in Costa Rica, helping to accelerate innovation within the region’s growing medtech sector. By combining responsive development capabilities with scalable manufacturing, Switchback Medical is uniquely positioned to support customers earlier in the product lifecycle—an approach that sets it apart from traditional manufacturing-focused operations in the region.

“Our Coyol Free Zone facility allows us to quickly deliver critical components such as extrusions, braided shafts, and more, while we continue building out our Evolution Free Zone facility, which will serve as our top-level assembly production site in Costa Rica,” said Brady Hatcher, CEO of Switchback Medical. “Together, these capabilities enable us to support customers from early development through full-scale manufacturing, both locally and globally”.

Over the next decade, the Coyol Free Zone and Evolution Free Zone facilities are expected to expand Switchback’s role in interventional device manufacturing, supporting additional development programs, manufacturing transfers, and scaled production. The expansion will initially focus on thermoplastic extrusion and precision components, with future plans to expand into advanced extrusion technologies and full device production.