NPE ’09: PolyOne increases focus on healthcare products

23 June 2009 22:14  [Source: ICIS news]

CHICAGO (ICIS news)--PolyOne is focusing more on the healthcare market with a wide range of products, the US polymer producer said on Tuesday.

Sales in healthcare made up 7% of the company’s revenues in 2008, a 60% jump from 2006, said Stephen Newlin, chairman, chief executive and president of PolyOne.

“We took a strategic analysis of markets and looked for the most applicability. Healthcare is a stable and [high growth] market,” said Newlin, adding, “They pay their bills on time.”

Healthcare markets also want stability from their manufacturers, said Larry Johnson, PolyOne’s marketing director, healthcare.

“Risk is a huge concern for medical manufacturers,” Johnson said. “They cannot afford supply chain outages.”

Because PolyOne has plants and resources globally, it can move production it has to, Johnson said.

PolyOne introduced several products on Tuesday for medical or healthcare applications, including its Resound biopolymer compounds, for use in medical equipment housing; and the bisphenol-A-free Edgetek XT high performance blends, for medical containers and “variety of body and non-body applications,” said Johnson.

The company’s Versaflex BIO, made from up to 70% recycled materials, “has excellent tensile strength and tear resistance, comparable to styrenic thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs),” and has many potential medical uses such as valves and tubing, said Cecil Chappelow, vice president, innovation, sustainability, and chief innovation officer for PolyOne.

The company was also working on antimicrobial polymers that resist bacteria and fungus, and other modified polymer surfaces, said Chappelow.

Additionally, PolyOne was moving more towards non-halogenic, non-phthalate TPEs as it deals with of regulatory compliance, said Michael Kahler, the company’s senior vice president of commercial development.

PolyOne intends to use its Gravi-Tech high density compounds to replace lead in medical and other applications, as “OEMs [are] phasing out lead ahead of any potential regulatory action,” said Kahler.

The company introduced the products at the International Plastics Showcase (NPE) international plastics show in Chicago.

To discuss issues facing the chemical industry go to ICIS connect

By: Ivan Lerner
+1 713 525 2653

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly