PolyUnity has signed a five-year deal with the Ottawa-based Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, or CHEO, building on a 2022 and 2023 trial that saw 460 damaged pieces of equipment repaired with the St. John’s startup’s 3D printing technology.

CHEO said in a statement that supply chain woes, including problems obtaining parts for existing equipment, is leading it to turn to innovation-focused businesses for solutions. The trial from the last two years was organized by the Early Adopter Health Network, which supports the commercialization of medical technologies and is part of the non-profit Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization.

“Our healthcare organizations are continuously asked do more with less,” said PolyUnity CEO Jacqueline Lee in a statement. “And this is why innovation becomes critical to delivering value-based healthcare services. We’re so proud of the 200-plus innovative products created in collaboration with CHEO’s team members and are excited to continue creating more solutions together.”

PolyUnity, which hired its 20th staff member last year, provides equipment and software for hospitals to 3D print medical equipment and components faster than conventional procurement methods, using a digital parts catalogue customized for each client.

The company was founded in 2018 by three Memorial University med students, now doctors, to 3D print medical simulation models. Initially, they planned to sell only the designs, not the printing equipment, with the switch to the printing technology itself coming in response to customer demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lee, who joined PolyUnity as its Chief Executive in 2021, has previously cited as an example the trays used to transport COVID-19 vaccines from cold storage units to frontline healthcare sites. PolyUnity had prototyped a solution and begun production within a few weeks of beginning work, and its trays were used throughout Newfoundland and Labrador’s widely praised vaccination program.

“Creating innovative solutions for supply chain issues and delivering replacement parts quickly for organizations like CHEO has a direct impact on patients,” said PolyUnity President Mark Gillingham. “And this work is especially meaningful to us at PolyUnity.”