Teknor Apex Expands Global Capability to Supply TPE Compounds for Medical Devices

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NEW YORK, June 4, 2002: Three initiatives by Teknor Apex, one of the world's most diversified compounders of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), have broadened international access to the company's medical-grade formulations, the Thermoplastic Elastomer Division of Teknor Apex announced today at MD&M East (Booth 1912).

Medical market manager Brian Mulvany cited these recent developments:

---European production of TPVs. Under an agreement signed in March, PTS Plastic Technologie Service GmbH will employ technology developed in the United States by Teknor Apex Company to produce thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) compounds and market them in the European Union under the Teknor Apex tradename Uniprene (R). Formulated for medical applications, Uniprene 7010 Series compounds recently achieved approval under the ISO 10993 standard on biocompatibility. They can be injection molded or extruded, range in hardness from 55 Shore A to 50 Shore D, and have been used in vial and pipette stoppers, surgical cables, filter elements, tubing, bellows, bulbs, and diaphragms.

"Because they exhibit lower compression set and greater room- and elevated-temperature elasticity than widely used non-TPV thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), Uniprene 7010 compounds provide improved performance for peristaltic pump tubing, resuscitator bellows, and other dynamic components that undergo repeated flexure," said Mulvany.

---Singapore-based TPE supply for Asia. Following its acquisition last Fall by Teknor Apex, Singapore Polymer Corporation (Pte) Ltd. has begun to supply TPEs produced in the U.S. by Teknor Apex and plans ultimately to manufacture such compounds in Singapore, according to Suresh Swaminathan, Teknor Apex vice president in charge of the Thermoplastic Elastomer Division. "Singapore Polymer is the leading compounder of thermoplastics in the Asia-Pacific region and has long been a producer of TPEs in its own right," Swaminathan says. "The acquisition of this company gives manufacturers in the region local access to compounds from Teknor Apex that have met exacting standards regulating medical applications in the U.S."

At the time of the acquisition, Singapore Polymer had already embarked on a project to relocate its compounding capacity, nominally rated at 70,000 metric tons (155,000,000 lb.) per year, to a new site in Singapore. The first new facility, for PVC compounds, is in the process of being brought on stream. Facilities for producing TPEs will be completed late in 2003.

---On-line ordering of TPE compounds. Companies anywhere in the world can now place orders for TPE compounds from Teknor Apex at any time of day or night by logging onto an automated ordering system, called the Customer Care Center, at www.teknorapex.com. The system not only saves time but also enables customers to streamline inventory management, according to David Ellison, director of customer service.

"Any authorized person at a customer location can reorder a compound and receive confirmation of compound grade, quantity, price, and scheduled shipping date shortly thereafter," said Ellison. "The system can be accessed at any time for an instant check on the status of the order. And because pricing of compounds is determined by prior agreement, the Customer Care Center frees purchasing departments from becoming involved with repeat orders. We've designed this system so that the customer's third-shift plant-floor supervisor, for example, can input the order without going through Purchasing."

Medical-Grade TPEs from Teknor Apex Include Unique 'Soft and Clear' Compounds

The Thermoplastic Elastomer Division of Teknor Apex manufactures six broad families of compounds (see Fact Sheet accompanying this news release), all of which include grades developed for use in medical applications. These products range from workhorse TPEs to high-performance compounds like Uniprene TPVs to specialty formulations like Tekbond (R) TPEs, developed for over-molding onto a wide range of engineering-thermoplastic substrates.

Among the areas of special expertise at Teknor Apex, according to market manager Brian Mulvany, is that of "soft and clear" TPEs. "We can provide TPEs that are among the softest available on the market yet retain the exceptional clarity so valuable in clinical settings," Mulvany said. "Compounds in our Monprene (R) product line, for example, can be formulated to provide latex-like softness while eliminating the disadvantages of latex: the curing required of thermoset rubber, the cloudiness or yellowish cast, and the concerns about allergenic reactions."

Monprene styrenic block copolymer TPEs introduced to the medical market in 2001 include blown and cast film grades for soft, latex-like drapes, gowns, liners, and gloves, and grades that provide latex- and plasticizer-free alternatives for tubing.