Our History

Built on Innovation Since 1995

Surgical Coatings began in 1995 when Jim Morris founded Integrated Surgical Sciences Corporation (ISSC) with a clear mission: develop advanced processes for applying coatings to surgical instruments and medical devices.

From the start, the company focused exclusively on solving coating application challenges for the medical device industry — an approach that continues to define Surgical Coatings today.

A Pioneer in Medical Device Coatings

Jim Morris became known for developing specialized coating processes for electrosurgical instruments, vessel sealers, and other advanced medical devices.

One of his most influential innovations was the development of the process now known as Virtual Masking™, which allows coatings to be applied uniformly and then precisely removed in micro-tolerance areas to create clean coating-free geometries.

Today, this technology remains one of the key advantages Surgical Coatings provides to OEM partners — but it hasn’t stood still. The process has evolved through advancements in automation and process control, enabling tighter tolerances, improved repeatability, and scalability for high-volume production.

Leadership for the Next Generation

James Morris, Jim’s son, grew up around the company and developed a strong interest in engineering and automation. After earning his Mechanical Engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines, James joined the business and began expanding its technical capabilities.

Following Jim Morris’s passing in 2011, the company entered a transition period. In 2015, James stepped fully into operations and began guiding the company forward while preserving its strong engineering foundation.
In 2018, James Morris and medical device industry veteran Jonathan Thorne acquired the company and renamed it Surgical Coatings, LLC.

This transition marked the start of a new phase focused on:

Expanding
Automation

Surgical Coatings invested in advanced automated coating systems to improve precision, consistency, and repeatability across every stage of the production process.

Strengthening Engineering Capabilities

The company expanded its in-house engineering expertise to develop proprietary processes, specialized equipment, and coating technologies for medical device applications.

Scaling Production for Growing Industry Demand

Surgical Coatings increased production capacity and operational capabilities to support leading medical device manufacturers as industry demand continues to grow.

Focused on Medical Device Coatings

For nearly three decades, Surgical Coatings has maintained a singular focus: Developing advanced, scalable methods for the precision application of polymer coatings for medical devices.

This specialization has allowed the company to develop deep expertise in:

● Surgical and electrosurgical instruments
● Advanced energy devices
● Coating systems that meet strict medical standards

Growing to Meet Demand

As demand for high-performance medical coatings increased, Surgical Coatings expanded its operations into a new 23,000 sq. ft. facility in Littleton, Colorado.

The new facility was designed to support long-term growth and increased production capacity. Key features include: Redundant coating systems, expanded automation, advanced environmental controls, and increased production throughput.

The facility was intentionally engineered with redundancy across major systems to ensure customers can rely on uninterrupted production.

Our Guiding Philosophy

At Surgical Coatings, our work carries a deeper responsibility. Every instrument we coat will be used in surgery — on someone’s mother, father, son, or daughter.

That perspective drives our commitment to:

Exceptional quality

Continuous innovation

Trusted partnerships with OEM customers

And it reinforces the company mantra that has guided Surgical Coatings since the beginning: Performance and Integrity.

Today, Surgical Coatings continues to invest in automation, engineering expertise, and facility expansion to support the next generation of medical devices. Our mission remains the same as it was in 1995: Deliver precise, reliable coating solutions for mission-critical medical technologies.