Merit Sensor Systems, part of the Merit Medical Systems family, has grown into a trusted global leader in MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) piezoresistive pressure sensors. These tiny but powerful components lie at the heart of many of Merit Medical’s devices, supporting industries worldwide and giving physicians confidence when it matters most.

Recently, Merit Medical announced the retirement of its founder and longtime CEO, Fred Lampropoulos. While Fred will continue serving as Chairman of the Board, this moment marks a shift in our story, moving from founder-led to founder-inspired. As such, it is a fitting time to reflect on the vision, drive, and leadership that shaped both Merit Medical and Merit Sensor into the successful establishment that it is today.

Where it All Began: From an Idea to Reality

Fred’s entrepreneurial path started with one simple but important idea: making disposable syringes safer and stronger.

In 1987, he founded Merit Medical in Murray, Utah, and within a year, the company’s first syringe was on the market. That single innovation became the foundation of a portfolio that has since grown to more than 2000 proprietary medical devices, tools used every day in interventional, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures around the globe.

Central to Fred’s leadership was “The Merit Way”—a philosophy built on vertical integration, reinvention, and above all, a commitment to improving patient outcomes. Guided by this vision, Merit expanded to employ more than 7000 people worldwide, supported by an international sales and clinical team dedicated to ensuring products reach physicians and hospitals wherever they’re needed.

The Birth of Merit Sensor

Another key chapter in Fred’s story was the creation of Sentir Semiconductor in 1991. His goal was to support a new angioplasty inflation device with advanced pressure-sensing technology. By 1993, Sentir’s first pressure sensor was in production, and just four years later, annual sales had passed the one-million-unit mark.

In 1999, the company became part of Merit Medical, and by 2002, it officially took the name Merit Sensor Systems. Two years later, a new wafer fabrication facility was completed in Salt Lake City, featuring a leading-edge ISO 5 cleanroom. By managing its own sensor production and calibration, Merit Sensor gained a lasting advantage in its ability to deliver reliable, scalable, and flexible solutions for industries around the world.

Today, those sensors support not only Merit Medical devices but also a wide range of applications in aerospace, transportation, industrial systems, and consumer electronics. Wherever precision, reliability, and safety are critical, our sensors are trusted to deliver.

Pressure Sensors: The Sentinels within Life-Saving Devices

Merit Sensor technology plays a central role in many of Merit Medical’s flagship products. Devices like the DiamondTOUCH™ Digital Inflation Device, used in angioplasty, and the Blue Diamond™ Digital Inflation Device, which combines digital accuracy with analog simplicity, rely on highly accurate pressure sensing to give clinicians precise control.

The MONARCH^® Inflation Device, used in biliary dilation, integrates the same sensor technology with timing features that enhance patient safety during delicate procedures. Our Meritrans^® Blood Pressure Transducers also stand out, providing reliable, customizable solutions for hospitals and labs, designed to integrate seamlessly with fluid management systems.

Together, these devices showcase how Merit Sensor technology underpins the accuracy, reliability, and safety physicians depend on, and ultimately, how patient lives are safeguarded every day.

The Merit Way: A Culture of Excellence

All these years later, Fred’s philosophy, The Merit Way, continues to shape the culture at Merit Sensor. At its core is our H.E.A.R.T.:

• Health: Prioritizing employee well-being and patient outcomes
• Excellence: Striving for the highest standards in design, production, and service
• Agility: Staying responsive to challenges and opportunities
• Responsibility: Owning the impact of our work and decisions
• Teamwork: Collaborating across teams and divisions to achieve shared goals

These values have fueled our growth and fostered a culture of continuous improvement and shared purpose.

A Legacy That Extends Beyond Business

Fred’s impact can also be seen beyond the balance sheets and product lines. Drawing on the discipline he learned as a former US Army Special Forces officer, his career has spanned nearly four decades, during which he filed over 200 patents, earned multiple industry honors (including the Utah Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology), and was inducted into the Utah Business Hall of Fame.

But the biggest, and arguably best, legacy he has left behind is his unwavering commitment to giving back to the people. Through support for education, healthcare initiatives, and community programs, Fred has left a lasting impact not just in Utah but worldwide. His leadership has touched employees, shareholders, families, and patients alike.

Looking Ahead

As Merit Medical and Merit Sensor turn over a new leaf and start their new chapter, continuity and stability will remain at the forefront. Fred will still be Chairman of the Board, while Martha Aronson has been appointed CEO and President. Fred has spoken with great confidence about Martha’s leadership, describing her sharp thinking, collaborative approach, and alignment with The Merit Way.

At Merit Sensor, we’re proud to carry that same spirit forward. The values that got us here—commitment, innovation, and keeping people at the heart of everything we do—are still what guide us today, just as they did when we started with a single syringe. Similarly, the MEMS pressure sensors developed in Salt Lake City will continue to power life-saving devices, while the culture of growth and responsibility ensures new breakthroughs will follow.

For employees, customers, and patients alike, Fred’s impact continues to inspire, and his dedication to saving lives will live on in every device that bears the Merit name.

Environmental Sustainability Practices

Climate change has catastrophic effects on our environment. We acknowledge the scientific evidence presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concerning the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help prevent average temperature increases. We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint through resource conservation, increased efficiency, product innovation, and more. From the year 2020-2023, 50% of our total energy will come from renewable sources, our energy intensity will decrease by 10% or more, and our GHG emissions will decrease by at least 15% (indexed to revenue). We have also set goals to decrease our water intensity by 10% or more. We believe these actions will reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate environmental impacts in our business.

Energy & Natural Resource Conservation

Part of these conservation efforts include installing electric car charging stations at our Salt Lake City, Utah and Galway, Ireland facilities. Another way we are taking action is by utilizing energy efficient variable frequency drives for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning around our campuses. For water efficiency, we have implemented a water efficient cooling system for machinery in our sensors operations. We have also xeriscaped our corporate headquarters by removing over 75% water intensive grass around our campus and replaced it with low-water resistant greenery and decorative rocks. To conserve energy, we have transitioned to LED light bulbs in all of our facilities worldwide. In addition, Merit Salt Lake City has a large garden and greenhouse dedicated to growing fruits and vegetables for our employees. Finally, we draw away waste from local landfills by recycling corrugate, paper, plastics, metals, pallets, and motor oil.

   

Sustainability-Related ISO Certification At Merit Medical & Merit Sensor

Starting in 2019, we began pursuing certifications within our Environmental Health and Safety Management System through the International Standards Organization (ISO). This is designed to monitor, measure, and report our management of environmental health and safety.

We our thrilled to announce all eight manufacturing sites around the world have certified to ISO 14001 (environmental management). Six out of our eight manufacturing sites have been certified to ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety management) and the remaining two are projected to be complete by the end of 2022. Currently, we are pursuing certification of our Energy Management System (EnMS) through ISO 50001.

For more information, visit our policies and certifications section to view the ISO 14001 & ISO 45001 official certificates.

 

To our valued customers:

We are pleased to announce a distribution-sales partnership with Global Electronics Corporation based in Tokyo, Japan.

Global Electronics is a diversified electronics corporation serving high-tech companies with electronic-components distribution services, analog and sensing-technology expertise, in-house design and engineering, manufacturing, and technical-support capabilities. The company, founded in 1978, has been built upon the solid foundation of long-term partnerships with best of breed manufacturers and with a broad portfolio of unique products and superior technologies from around the world. Their distribution business has evolved into a reliable link in the mission-critical supply chain of world-renowned technology companies.

Since 1991 Merit Sensor (Sentir Semiconductor until 1999) has designed and manufactured pressure sensors for various applications, such as medical, automotive, and industrial. Merit Sensor’s proprietary Sentium technology was developed to provide a best-in-class operating temperature range of -40 to 150 degrees Celsius and a pressure range of 0 to 15,000 psi in absolute, differential, gage, and vacuum configurations.

This partnership between Merit Sensor and Global Electronics will expand the product offerings of Global Electronics and will allow Merit Sensor to provide optimal support to the regions of Japan.

To learn more about the Merit Sensor products sold by Global Electronics, you can view the portfolio online at www.gec-tokyo.co.jp/merit-sensor. To contact the sensor group at Global Electronics by phone, dial +81 03 3260 1412.

We look forward to a prosperous partnership with Global Electronics.

Sincerely,

The Merit Sensor Management Team

 

P.S.: The official press release from Global Electronics Corporation can be accessed here.