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Alpharetta, Ga., July 14, 2016– Solvay, a leading global supplier of high-performance specialty materials, announced today that Apollo Medical Extrusionnow offers single- and multi-lumen medical microtubing extruded from Solvay’s KetaSpire® polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The move signals an important expansion of Apollo’s offering, which already leverages other healthcare polymers including Zeniva® PEEK, AvaSpire® polyaryletherketone (PAEK) and Veradel® HC polyethersulfone (PESU).
“Adding KetaSpire® PEEK was a natural response to the increasing requests we’ve received from healthcare customers for single-lumen microtubes extruded from this high-performance material,” said Jonathan Jurgaitis, Senior Process Engineer at Apollo Medical Extrusion. “Interestingly, we have since discovered the demand for PEEK extends to more complex, multi-lumen and stainless steel braided microtube designs as well.”
Apollo Medical Extrusion fabricates a broad range of extruded microtubes for catheter, endoscopy and laparoscopic instruments. With the addition of KetaSpire® PEEK to its polymer selection, the company’s off-the-shelf products now encompass three new triple-lumen and 26 single-lumen microtubes made from Solvay’s material, as well as 14 sizes of PEEK rods.
KetaSpire® PEEK is one of the highest performance thermoplastics in Solvay’s specialty polymers portfolio. As a class of materials, PEEK offers outstanding chemical resistance at higher temperatures and retains excellent mechanical properties at continuous-use temperatures up to 240°C (464°F). Solvay’s KetaSpire® portfolio offers further performance advantages over competitive PEEK products that, depending on the grade, include better fatigue resistance, 20 percent higher impact strength and 60 percent higher ductility.
Apollo Medical products fabricated with KetaSpire® PEEK reflect the polymer’s outstanding strength as well as its excellent resistance to chemicals, heat and fatigue. Microtube applications that can benefit from the material’s well-balanced performance profile include those used for atherectomy, arterial ablation, prostate irradiation and tools for placement of medical devices.
Apollo will continue to serve Solvay customers who specify Zeniva® PEEK to extrude microtubes for use in long-term implantable device applications. Its customers specify AvaSpire® PAEK for limited contact applications (≤24 hours) that require an optimal balance of chemical resistance, ductility and toughness. Veradel® HC A-301 PESU – the first PESU to offer a detailed FDA Master File (MAF) – further enables Apollo to address microtube applications demanding a high-flow, transparent resin with superb stiffness and heat resistance.
Like these other specialty polymers, Solvay’s KetaSpire® PEEK resins have a robust MAF from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for limited body contact applications.
“The rising interest in Solvay’s KetaSpire® PEEK polymers is explained, in part, by overall growth in the global market for this polymer, which some analysts forecast will expand at an 8.4 percent compound annual growth rate through 2020,” said Jeff Hrivnak, Global Business Manager for Healthcare at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers global business unit. “However, innovative healthcare customers like Apollo Medical Extrusion are also indicating that the outstanding performance and processing profile of Solvay’s PEEK polymers are propelling further interest in these advanced materials.”
Solvay’s experience as a reliable materials supplier in the healthcare field spans more than 25 years. The company is a leading manufacturer of polymers for healthcare applications, offering a broad range of high-performance plastics for medical devices, instruments and equipment. Solvay also offers a family of Solviva® Biomaterials for use in a range of implantable devices. Solvay’s Veradel® family of PESU polymers has a long and proven history in food service, membrane filtration and automotive applications.
® KetaSpire, AvaSpire, Veradel, Zeniva and Solviva are registered trademarks of Solvay
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About Apollo Medical Extrusion
Apollo Medical Extrusion is a privately held company with over 40 years of combined experience focusing on the medical extrusion industry. The company‘s unique expertise in extrusion processes sets its quality and professional standards apart, and its staff take all necessary measures to ensure their customers’ success. Apollo’s extrusion specialists are trained to deliver the highest quality standards for the medical device industry, and all of its products are manufactured per the ISO 13485 standard.
About Solvay
Solvay Specialty Polymers manufactures over 1500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers – fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra-high performance polymers, high barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds – for use in Aerospace, Alternative Energy, Automotive, Healthcare, Membranes, Oil and Gas, Packaging, Plumbing, Semiconductors, Wire & Cable, and other industries. Learn more at www.solvayspecialtypolymers.com.
An international chemical and advanced materials company, Solvay assists its customers in innovating, developing and delivering high-value, sustainable products and solutions which consume less energy and reduce CO2 emissions, optimize the use of resources and improve the quality of life. Solvay serves diversified global end markets, including automotive and aerospace, consumer goods and healthcare, energy and environment, electricity and electronics, building and construction as well as industrial applications. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with about 30,900 employees spread across 53 countries. It generated pro forma net sales of € 12.4 bn in 2015, with 90% made from activities where it ranks among the world’s top 3 players. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext in Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB:BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR).
