Private-equity firm Permira Advisers is exploring the sale of its Galway-based medical technology company Creganna Medical in a deal that could fetch €600 million to €1 billion, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The sale has attracted interest from companies in Creganna’s industry as well as other buyout firms, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private.

Piper Jaffray is advising Permira on the sale process, they said. A representative for Permira declined to comment. A spokesman for Piper Jaffray had no immediate comment.

Founded in Ireland in 1979 as an engineering outsourcing company, Creganna has specialised solely in medical devices since 2003, the company said on its website. It is a major outsourced supplier of minimally invasive devices to the medical device sector and now employs more than 2,000 people worldwide.

Permira acquired Creganna in 2010 in a transaction that valued the company at €223 million. Since then, Permira has expanded the company through acquisitions, as well as increased sales in high-growth markets, the private equity firm said on its website.

The company has plants in Minnesota, California and Oregon in the United States, as well as in Costa Rica, Singapore and China. – Bloomberg