China Array Showcases High-End Thermoplastic Injection Molding Capabilities for Global Medical OEMs at Medica 2008

Düsseldorf, Germany – Nov. 19, 2008 – China Array Plastics, a full-service specialty injection molder of high-performance thermoplastic materials, headquartered in Pittsfield, Mass. in the United States, is showcasing new high-end medical applications here at Medica 2008, in hall 16, booth E41. Through state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities at its facility in Wuhan, China, the company specializes in molding only the highest performance materials for global medical OEMs. These include polysulfone (PSU), polyetherimide (PEI), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polycarbonate (PC) resins, which are being increasing specified by medical device manufactures for their reliability and outstanding balance of properties in a broad range of demanding medical applications.

The company’s first-time participation at Medica 2008 further underscores China Array Plastics’ growing global position as a top injection molder of specialty high-performance medical devices. Through the company’s extensive background in advanced materials innovation and high-standard molding expertise, combined with the in-depth experience of its GE Plastics-trained engineering staff and strategic located in Wuhan, China Array Plastics is able to mold and deliver high-precision medical instruments to OEMs around the world.

According to Carl Olson, vice president of Sales and Marketing, China Array Plastics, the manufacture of medical devices in China is growing by 40 percent annually. “Medical applications for high-performance thermoplastics are growing at a very rapid pace,” said Olson. “We are seeing tremendous growth in such areas as surgical instruments, sterilization trays, cartridges and housings for blood analysis equipment, biomedical applications, and in single- and multiple-use devices.

These products represent market segments where medical OEMs are seeing the advantage that high-end thermoplastics offer over metals, glass and lower-performing plastics, and are where we are experiencing our greatest success.”

China Array Plastics has seen considerable success in a variety of medical applications, notably in devices where high-precision mold tooling; tight tolerances; exceptional impact strength, multiple sterilizability techniques; ergonomics; chemical and fluid resistance; light weight; FDA compliance; and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and microwave absorbing capabilities are required. These include retractable scalpel handles, EMI shields, solenoid valves, veterinary devices and other high-end, finely calibrated components.

China Array Plastics’ team of GE-trained engineers and technical experts are some of the most experienced in the use of plastics for the medical industry. In addition to providing OEMs with world-class injection molding expertise, the company also offers advanced engineering, mold design, application development, and testing services to further support customer growth and innovation. China Array Plastics also has experience in stainless steel applications, silicone liquid injection molding (LIM) and hard and anti-microbial coatings technologies.

China Array Plastics is among the first in China to specialize exclusively in custom molding high-performance thermoplastics. The company offers multinational OEMs operating in China tremendous advantages vs. importing parts, including higher quality parts, faster delivery, lower manufacturing costs, and highly trained U.S. and local expertise.

“We are unique from other injection molding companies operating in China,” said Olson. “Molders of commodity materials are almost everywhere in the country, but custom injection molders of high-performance thermoplastics for specialty medical devices are essentially non-existent. In fact, we don’t know of anyone who is currently doing what we do, which gives us a tremendous competitive advantage.”

Olson is a 25-year veteran of GE Plastics where he worked as a senior application development engineer. He helped develop Ultem* PEI resin – still considered to be one of the highest performing workhorse resins in the plastics industry –- and worked with global OEMs to develop an array of successful end products. Based on his extensive experience, China Array Plastics has been successfully growing business in markets beyond medical, including electronics, automotive and optical molding. Olson says this is particularly the case in China as western companies seek out the in-country injection molding expertise that China Array provides.

“Working at GE in the 1980s meant almost around-the-clock development of new high-performance thermoplastics applications for major OEMs,” said Olson. “We were considered to be the best in the industry at that time when the rate of market penetration and growth was astounding – especially in the United States and Europe. While growth in these regions has slowed, western companies are flocking to China to capitalize on the cost advantages there. China itself is mirroring the rapid growth we saw in the United States and Europe in the ‘80s. As one of the few injection molders of high-performance thermoplastics working in China, we expect this trend to accelerate, enabling us to help more and more of our customers succeed.”

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China Array
360 West Housatonic Street
01201 PITTSFIELD, MA
U.S.A.

+1 413 499 9890

www.chinaarrayplastics.com