Arkema
Accelerating Medical Advancements with High-Quality and Recyclable Materials

Successful advancements and delivery of healthcare services greatly depend upon the availability of high-quality medical devices and technologies. Medical equipment is a critical part of the healthcare industry, and they are a necessary tool for delivering medical services effectively. They are employed not only in detection and early stages of diagnosis but also during treatments for patient monitoring and in post-treatment cases on some occasions. It is pretty apparent that the development of innovative medical devices is essential for preparing the healthcare industry for unprecedented emergencies, and on the backdrop of this is Arkema (EPA: AKE). The company is an industry leader in specialty material and has expertise in material sciences. The firm designs and manufactures materials that address the increasing demand for innovative and sustainable materials in the MedTech industry.

Arkema is a provider of materials for industries looking for lightweight and recyclable materials. The company develops bio-based liquid resins and polymers that improve the performance and durability of client’s composites, specifically thermo-formable and recyclable thermoplastic materials. Arkema’s additives enhance the intrinsic characteristics of materials, such as chemical, mechanical and thermal resistance. The company also manufactures adhesives for efficient and easy assemblies. The firm specializes in boosting material productivity by shortening lead times as they are recyclable and reusable. Arkema offered Elium^®, a thermoplastic resin liquid at ambient temperature, and manufactured thermoformable and recyclable composite parts.

This material is suitable for conventional processing techniques such as RTM, infusion, and FlexMolding^™, allowing the production of thermoplastic and thermosets using the same equipment.

The company’s product Kepstan® is popular among aviation leaders and is used under harsh weather conditions. Arkema is a sought-after name in the pharmaceutical industry owing to its sustainable solutions that successfully formulate synthetic products for various applications. The company’s solvents, thinners, reagents, and reaction initiators are used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetology industry to manufacture plastics, pesticides, paints, and more. Apart from these, Arkema efficiently serves the medical device manufacturers, personal care, and cosmetics developers with its high standard materials.

Arkema’s high-performance materials often replace the traditional materials used in the development of medical devices. These materials are known for their sturdiness, safety, resistance to sterilization, and microbial attacks. Arkema offers Pebax^® MED, copolymers that are used to manufacture catheters, Rilsan® Clear MED biosourced polyamides for breathing masks, and Rilsamid^® MED and Rilsan^® MED product families for bags. Additionally, Arkema offers Kynar^® PVDF, a bioinert, sterilizable, and chemically resistant material employed to manufacture disposable equipment, autoclaves, and membranes. During the pandemic, Arkema supports the MedTech and Healthcare industry by providing more than just its materials. In response to the pandemic, Arkema repurposed its production line to manufacture twenty tons of alcohol-based solutions to be distributed free of charge to hospitals across France. The group is collaborating with Rhone Alpes Research Center (CRRA) to develop these solutions. Arkema has set up its largest global industrial platform in China, where it has seven production units (organic peroxides, specialty polyamides, fluorogases HCFC-22 and HFC-125, PVDF fluoropolymers, and rheology additives). In the coming years, Arkema will continue to grow and become a leader in the fragmented adhesive market. Due to its customercentric approach, Arkema has been increasing immensely since its inception. The company aims to sustain the trend and serve the MedTech sector in many diverse ways.