AN AMERICAN surgical equipment manufacturer has set up its first UK base in Hereford.

LeMaitre Vascular, which has its headquarters in Burlington USA, has moved into office suites at Stirling House in Centenary Park, on Hereford Enterprise Zone’s Skylon Park.

The company manufactures equipment to treat peripheral vascular disease, a common condition caused by build-ups of fatty deposits in the arteries which restrict blood supply to leg muscles.

Their products are used by surgeons in more than 80 countries across the globe.

The company has taken up four suites at the Rotherwas site, and will be shipping products to hospitals across mainland Britain and Ireland.

Centenary Park is located on Skylon Park, the Enterprise Zone for the region designated by Government drive regional economic growth and create sustainable new jobs.

Adam Richardson, co-director at Priority Space, said: “It’s great to be able to be part of LeMaitre’s expansion into the UK which will bring local jobs and growth to Hereford. At Priority Space we’re all about providing opportunities for businesses which boost the local area for local people.”

Andrew Manning Cox, chair of the Hereford Enterprise Zone, welcomed the foreign investment into Skylon Park.

“The Enterprise Zone was set up as a catalyst for economic growth and job creation and we’ve invested significantly to ensure Skylon Park is a place where businesses want to locate and grow their operations," he said.

"We’re delighted that Le Maitre has chosen Herefordshire, and specifically Skylon Park, as the base for its investment in the UK.”