The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) reports that the bollard, an implantable expanding rivet – which was invented in 1982 – is still on the market and over 60 000 of these medical devices have been sold since its launch.
The bollard was invented by CSIR researchers Peter Mundell, Dr Michael Hunt and Dr Angus Strover.
It is used in conjunction with a prosthetic ligament for repair of cruciate ligaments in the knee. The device is made of carbon fibre reinforced polysulfone and marketed from the UK.
The device resulted from the CSIR’s investment in research on biomaterials, with a focus on developing composite materials that were biomedically more compatible than the metals used for surgical implants at the time, but which did not compromise strength.
In 1984, the bollard received the South African Bureau of Standards Design Institute Chairperson’s Award for Excellence. It was also the first carbon-fibre-reinforced composite implant to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for human surgery.
Sale of the device started in 1984, through the CSIR’s technology commercialisation company, Technifin.
In 1989, Mundell left the CSIR and set up manufacturer Fibretek Developments to manufacture the bollard.
Fibretek has manufactured and sold over 60 000 bollards and the last sale was an order of 250 units in 2013.
Although Fibretek has over the years had two other main products – the Optoscan visual field scanner and the Cape Town Stereotactic Pointer – the bollard has been the mainstay of Fibretek’s sales over its 30-year life span.
Fibretek employment peaked at five staff members at the height of product development and sales. It was one of the first South African medical device manufacturing companies to develop export markets for its products.
“Very few companies, if any, can sustain themselves from income based on a single product, but Fibretek was fortunate to have had sufficient sales in the early years to be able to invest income into the development and commercialisation of other products,” says Mundell.
CSIR licensing and ventures group manager Sean Moolman says: “It is unusual for a medical device to be on the market and still to be in demand after such a long period, but the bollard has succeeded in doing just that. The success of the product and the long-term sustainability of the manufacturing company is a true testament to the innovative design of its inventors at the CSIR in the early 1980s.”