50 Years of Innovation

Protecting Your Food and Medical Devices with Cosmed

Originally named ETO Sterilization, Inc. (ETO), the company was founded in 1981 to sterilize medical devices and spices in Newark, NJ. The company grew to be among the largest contract sterilization companies in the United States, until it divested its medical device sterilization assets – 5 locations – in 2005 to focus on the food safety. The company continues to market technologies to pasteurize spices, nutmeats and other agricultural commodities. The company recently reentered the medical device sterilization market and is manufacturing and selling ethylene oxide sterilizers, scrubbers and related accessories.

Company Highlights

1981 — Founded by Dr. Michael Howe and Mr. Jerry Rhoads

1986 — Opened Baltimore Quality Assurance

1989 — Patent #4863566, Process for the preservation of printed cellulosic material

1990 — Opened first dedicated cosmetics and medical (Cosmed) device sterilization facility in Carteret, NJ.

1991 — Cosmed Group, Coventry, RI

1992 — Cosmed Group, South Plainfield, NJ

1992 — Industrial Sterilization of Nevada, Sparks, NV

1994 — Cosmed Group, Waukegan, IL

1995 — Mr. Rhoads retires. Dr. Howe becomes President of Cosmed Group.

1999 — Cosmed Group, Grand Prairie, TX – The first industrial scale all-in-one EtO sterilization facility

2000 — Cosmed Group, San Diego, CA

2004 — Patent #6800246, Bulk decontamination and degermination of materials in a sub-atmospheric saturated steam environment

2005 — Divested five medical device sterilization facilities

2006 — Cosmed Group, Newman, CA featuring H2O Express™ food pasteurization

2012 — Returned to the medical device sterilization industry offering equipment for sale and facility design

2016 — Acquired medical device sterilization facility in Erie, PA.

2017 — Acquired medical device sterilization facility in Franklin, NJ

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