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Flexible and transparent innovation for medical tubing

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

Frankfurt, Germany

  • Microspec selects Styrolution for its multi-lumen tubes
  • Styroflex and Styrolux offer excellent alternative to PVC
  • Styrolution to showcase medical innovations at Pharmapack 2014

    • Frankfurt, Germany – February 12, 2014 – Microspec, the market leader in medical tubing, has earned a global reputation for extruding the most complex tubing in the industry. The company partnered with global styrenics leader Styrolution to replace PVC for its highly flexible multi-lumen tubing which makes it possible to administer different medications from one access point. The Styrolution solution offers better clarity than PVC, low drug absorption and unique processability.

    Key points:

  • Microspec selects Styrolution for its multi-lumen tubes: Since lumens vary in shape, number, symmetry, and diameter, Microspec required an alternative material to PVC with unique processing properties to create the intricate tube structure. It was also important for the company to collaborate with a material provider that understand the strict regulatory environment for the healthcare and diagnostics (HD) industry and offer long-term recipes for its products. For this reason, Microspec turned to Styrolution for its state-of-the-art styrene butadiene block copolymers, Styroflex and Styrolux, and Styrolution's HD Service Package.
  • Styroflex and Styrolux offer excellent alternative to PVC: Microspec selected these products because of their excellent processability and low drug absorption. The high processability enables the production of a more complex lumen structure to provide optional tube stabilization by inserting guide wires or rigid tubes. Styroflex and Styrolux also deliver other advantages for medical applications, such as a low yellowness index, better clarity than PVC, increased run rates, and elimination of plasticizer migration.
  • Styrolution to showcase medical innovations at Pharmapack 2014: Styrolution will exhibit at Pharmapack Europe, February 12-13, Hall 5, Booth 122 in Paris, France. There it will showcase its latest innovations for healthcare, including the medical tubing application from Microspec.
  • A reliable, long-term partner with Styrolution's HD Service Package:  Styrolution is revitalizing customer care in healthcare and diagnostics with best-in-class service packages, which offer fixed formulations and long-term notification of change. The company's full HD Service Package also helps customers like Microspec save time and money, so they can focus their resources on product vision and design instead of regulatory requirements.
  • Styroflex and Styrolux – versatile styrenics: Styroflex is a styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SBC) with the properties of a thermoplastic elastomer (S-TPE), suitable for extrusion and injection molding. Characterized by a combination of high resilience and toughness, optical clarity and process stability, Styroflex also offers good printability and adhesion to many different polymers. It is also employed as a high-performance additive to increase toughness and stress cracking resistance.
    Styrolux resins are a range of thermoplastic styrene-butadiene copolymers (SBC). One of the outstanding characteristics of Styrolux copolymers is their combination of high transparency, brilliance and impact resistance. The good miscibility of Styrolux and polystyrene allows adjustment to the desired toughness, while at the same time reducing material costs. Styrolux can be extruded, thermoformed and injection molded into a variety of high-quality products.

    • Quotes:

    Tim Steele, Manager at Microspec:
    "Styrolution offered Microspec a truly innovative solution that gave us the flexibility to not only create a more complex, multi-lumen structure for our product but also to meet industry medical tubing requirements to replace PVC and eliminate plasticizer migration. The long-term formulations Styrolution offers through its HD Service Package was also a decisive factor for Microspec."

    Alexander Silvestre, global industry lead, healthcare and diagnostic, Styrolution:
    "Microspec is well respected within the medical industry as an undisputed leader and innovator in the extrusion of complex medical tubing. The Styrolution team is proud of the results of our collaborative innovation with Microspec and looks forward to our continued cooperation."

    ABOUT INEOS STYROLUTION

    INEOS Styrolution is the leading, global styrenics supplier with a focus on styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS Standard and styrenic specialties. With world-class production facilities and more than 85 years of experience, INEOS Styrolution helps its customers succeed by offering the best possible solution, designed to give them a competitive edge in their markets. The company provides styrenic applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries, including automotive, electronics, household, construction, healthcare, toys/sports/leisure, and packaging. In 2015, sales were at 5 billion euros. INEOS Styrolution employs approximately 3,100 people and operates 15 production sites in nine countries.