Surface Solutions Group LLC (SSG) is embracing the opportunities and growth potential in Costa Rica by establishing a new operation dedicated to advanced and high‑precision manufacturing processes for the international medical industry.

The company develops low-friction, high‑performance coating processes applied to critical components such as guidewires, needles, electrosurgical blades, hypotubes, and cannulas. These processes will be supported by automated equipment, strict quality controls, and regulatory standards aligned with major global markets.

The project entails a long‑term investment worth more than$10 million, including land acquisition and construction of a new facility. Construction is scheduled to begin early this year and be followed by a gradual start‑up of operations in 2027 once equipment installation, validation, and qualification processes are completed.

“Costa Rica represents a strategic decision for SSG. It allows us to be closer to key customers, collaborate early on in new developments, and scale coating technologies with greater agility and precision,” SSG President Kevin Hess said. “The country offers a solid production environment and a talent base that understands the standards of the medical device industry.”

SSG is part of the Elektrisola Group, a global provider of wire solutions and specialized coatings. The company boasts more than 60 years of experience, including over two decades in medical device applications.

The company expects to begin operations with a team of 15 to 20 people. SSG will be recruiting technical and specialized roles such as automated equipment operators, coating personnel (“sprayers” and “rackers”), engineers, maintenance technicians, quality professionals, as well as administrative and executive positions aligned with the sophistication of the production process.

SSG’s arrival strengthens the evolution of Costa Rica’s life sciences sector—the country’s leading export industry—toward higher value‑added processes.

“SSG joins an ecosystem that has evolved toward more complex and specialized operations. Its arrival strengthens the sector’s value chain by incorporating critical functional coating processes for high‑precision medical devices. One of the company’s differentiators is its ability to develop and adapt coating technologies from its own laboratory—expertise that SSG expects to gradually transfer to its operation in Costa Rica,” explained Ana María Romero, investment advisory manager at CINDE, a private organization that works to attract foreign direct investment. “At CINDE, we have supported the company by understanding its trajectory, the type of processes it will develop in the country, and its growth potential. Our role will be to continue supporting its integration and expansion within the Costa Rican ecosystem.”

SSG’s investment adds to a growing life sciences cluster that continues to attract projects with high technical content, further positioning Costa Rica as a reliable platform for companies seeking to go beyond traditional manufacturing and compete in segments driven by innovation, precision, and regulatory compliance.

Surface Solutions Group provides proven coating technologies and solutions for the global medical device industry, and offers 13 categories of functional coatings. With 60 years of coating industry experience, SSG’s automation and state-of-the-art facility provides customers with consistently applied coatings. SSG serves large medical device OEMs and their contract manufacturers, component suppliers, and R&D startups primarily in the cardiovascular, neurovascular, peripheral vascular, orthopedic, surgical, spine, and dental segments. SSG is wholly owned by the Elektrisola Group, a privately held company with 19 production plants and 4,700 employees worldwide.

CINDE is Costa Rica’s expert and strategic guide in investment, business development, and talent‑driven initiatives. With 44 years of experience working with multinational companies and as a key player in the investment ecosystem, CINDE has developed dozens of talent‑development initiatives that strengthen Costa Rica’s business climate and has supported the establishment of more than 450 multinationals in the country.