Lurgan medical training firm invests in R&D to develop new manikin

Medical training equipment producer, TruCorp has developed its a new manikin following investment in Research and Development and support from Invest Northern Ireland.

Based in Lurgan, the company specialises in the design and production of medical training products for improving medical best practice, with emphasis on trauma and clinical skills.

The new manikin, ‘Airsim Difficult Airway’, will enable health professionals to practice complex airway management and intubation processes for effective patient treatment. Features include enlarged tongue, blocked airway, lockjaw and immobile head.

Ryan Colhoun, director of product development and co-owner of TruCorp, said: “By providing health professionals across the globe with anatomically accurate medical simulators our products are helping to advance medical skills training and improve patient safety.

“Invest NI’s support has been invaluable to our company growth. Since we first engaged with Invest NI in 2006, it has helped us to innovate and grow our business.

“It has already helped us improve our manufacturing process to produce realistic, durable products with increased functionality, and to develop a unique self-healing material so that our products can be reused sustainably. Now, with its most recent R&D support, we have been able to bring Airsim Difficult Airway to market, so that we can grow our global sales with new and existing customers, particularly in the US.”

Invest NI has offered the company a grant for R&D towards the development of the Difficult Airway Manikin.

Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI’s director of innovation, research & development, continued: “TruCorp is a truly innovative SME and its new Difficult Airway Manikin will allow those in the medical field to practice intubation with varying levels of difficulty. Our grant for R&D supports NI companies to develop products and services, and it’s great to see our R&D support making a real impact on TruCorp’s product development.

“Innovation is vital for growth, and supporting a company’s innovative journey is a key part of the Department for the Economy’s 10X Economic Vision. We are pleased to continue to work with TruCorp as the company grows its business in to new markets around the world.”

In recognition of TruCorp’s commitment to innovation, it has been awarded a platinum level innovator certificate from Innovate NI.