Laerdal to celebrate 25th anniversary with a private ceremony

Laerdal Gatesville will be celebrating its 25^th anniversary Friday, March 14, from 12-2 p.m. The event will feature food, entertainment, and a celebratory ceremony honoring Laerdal’s achievements and contributions to the community over the past 25 years.

Laerdal Medical Corporation in Gatesville first began as Medical Plastics Laboratory, a business founded in 1949 by Dr. Elworth Lowrey, Dr. Wedell Lowrey, Dr. Tom Williams, and Charles Wise.

The business developed a process for creating replicas of bones, skeletons, and anatomical structures. The business helped hospitals and universities to train future nurses, medical students, and dentists.

In 2000, Medical Plastics was acquired by a Norwegian company and is now a division of Laerdal Medical Corporation, a world leader in simulation-based medical education and resuscitation training.

Products now built in Gatesville are shipped to facilities around the world. Several surrounding facilities utilize Laerdal’s medical systems, including local hospitals and nursing schools, Fort Cavazos, and Central Texas colleges and universities.

Laerdal’s HR Coordinator, Megan Lane, reported, “We have several employees that were Medical Plastics Laboratory employees during the acquisition, and they are still with Laerdal to this day. This is such a wonderful company, the mission, the work we do helping to save lives — it’s truly a rewarding thing to be a part of.”

Laerdal’s Gatesville facility announced in December of 2023 a plan for expansion and held a groundbreaking ceremony. At the ceremony, it was said that the new building would become a global hub for the RQI platform, a CPR training program that equips healthcare workers to administer high-quality CPR to patients.

Correction: In the last issue of The Gatesville Messenger, it was reported that the public was invited to attend the anniversary, but Laerdal is only inviting select city officials and the news stations to cover the story. This will not be a public event. Attendance will be by invitation only.