Factory CRO, a European medical device CRO (contract research organization) based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, completed the NY City Marathon last week, breaking personal records, raising money for an African education charity, and emphasizing the company's mission statement of "Start Sooner Finish Faster." Factory CRO provides research services for medical device developers, including orthopedic and wound-healing devices.
Five of Factory's staff, including co-founder and COO, Joris Bannenberg, completed the 26.2 mile New York City Marathon on November 2, 2008. This year, two employees finished the race in under 3 hours - Facilities manager Bart In't Veld and data manager Gerrit Heusinkveld both finished in a personal-best 2 hours and 58 minutes.
"For six years we have given our employees the opportunity to participate in the NY marathon, all expenses paid by the company," says COO Joris Bannenberg. "Since 2000, we have trained weekly with former Dutch marathon-champion Aart Stigter." Athletic performance and friendly competition help create a corporate culture of discipline, professionalism, and personal excellence.
"The substantial effort that Factory puts into building a positive corporate culture pays off for their customers," says Dick Tully, Factory's representative in the USA. "You can tell that every member of the Factory CROÂ team is doing their very best for the customer, the medical device trial, and the team as a whole. It truly makes them world-class."
The marathon also provides an interesting parallel to the company's mission of "Start Sooner, Finish Faster." The slogan refers not only to the company's competence and speed, but also to their unique knowledge of the European regulatory culture, which allows for medical device clinical studies to start within 4-6 weeks. Factory CRO has facilities in the Netherlands and in Curacao, an island in the Dutch Antilles.
In March, the Factory CRO team won 10K run called the "City-Pier-City" race in The Hague. The company team placed first in a field of 257 company teams.
ABOUT FACTORY:
Factory CRO (www.factory-cro.com) specializes in medical device clinical studies. The company is celebrating its 20th year. More information is available from Joris Bannenberg, MD PhD, COO / Medical Director, Factory-CRO for Medical Devices, Prof. Bronkhorstlaan 10 - H, 3723 MB Bilthoven, The Netherlands, P +31-(0)30-229.2727, www.factory-cro.com. In the USA, Factory CRO is represented by AmeriStart. Contact Dick Tully at 803-831-1880 x230. Factory is a proud sponsor of the Karamoko Foundation.