Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Unveils Major Acquisitions and Additions to Healthcare Market Capabilities at MD&M West 2013

NORTHBORO, MA (January 16, 2013) — Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics’ Healthcare Markets Business Unit, a leading supplier of innovative products for the most demanding medical applications, will unveil several major additions to its healthcare capabilities at MD&M West 2013, February 12-14, in Anaheim, CA. These include two major acquisitions, an expanded ISO Class 7 cleanroom facility for fluoropolymer extrusion, and the addition of a state-of-the-art silicone co-extrusion process line. With a wide range of silicone and thermoplastic extrusion capabilities, Saint-Gobain can provide its customers with enhanced solutions for a variety of medical fluid path products.

“With the recent acquisitions and addition of new capabilities and materials, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics has demonstrated its overall commitment to the healthcare industry,” says Aaron Updegrove, Marketing Manager, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, Healthcare Markets. “This is a significant investment in our capacity to be a leading healthcare industry supplier, providing our customers with high-performance solutions for medical products.”

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics completed the acquisition of Twin Bay Medical, a Michigan-based manufacturer of BarbLock® flexible tube retainer products, as well as single-use components for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The acquisition will enable Saint-Gobain to combine its global reach with Twin Bay Medical’s innovative single-use product solutions for the biopharmaceutical market.

Saint-Gobain also completed the acquisition of American Fluoroseal Corporation (AFC), a Maryland-based manufacturer of fluoropolymer bags for medical use and sterile sampling systems for pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. The company’s products include VueLife® culture bags, KryoSure® cryopreservation bags, and KryoVue® cryopreservation overwrap pouches. The acquisition complements existing film production and single-use systems for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, expanding Saint-Gobain’s product offerings in the area of vessels or bags used in cell culture applications.

Saint-Gobain has added an ISO Class 7 Clean Room at its facility in Mickelton, NJ. The new clean room features closed loop extrusion lines and state-of-the-art x-ray measurement and inspection systems, designed specifically for increasingly smaller and more complex fluoropolymer and engineered plastic extrusions and assemblies. The addition expands the company’s fluoropolymer extrusion capabilities for global healthcare customers.

In addition, at the end of February, Saint-Gobain will be installing a second Compass Technology line, a state-of-the-art co-development process for silicone extrusion at its Beaverton, MI facility. Ideal for the healthcare market, Compass combines expertise in custom material compounding with high precision silicone extrusion and fluid modeling, providing application-specific formulations and products for optimized performance. Best-in-class tolerances in both material properties and product dimensions result in a reduced level of overall system variability. Compass also includes in-process data collection for increased quality control and documentation, helping to streamline validation.

“Recent acquisition, added capabilities, and an expanded materials portfolio will strengthen Saint-Gobain’s presence throughout the healthcare market,” according to Robert D. Schwenker, Business Manager, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, Healthcare Markets. “In particular, the recent acquisition of Twin Bay Medical and American Fluoroseal Corporation is part of our continuous effort to better serve the needs of our biopharmaceutical customers.”

Visit Saint-Gobain in booth #1914 to learn more about its recent acquisitions, new extrusion process and custom material compounding capabilities for the healthcare market.

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, Healthcare Markets

For more than 40 years, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics has provided high-performance products and services to the world's leading Healthcare companies. Our technical expertise, global manufacturing capabilities, and market knowledge combine with a strong sense of partnership to meet the needs of customers around the world. A heritage of innovation and unparalleled material expertise in silicone, thermoplastic elastomers and fluoropolymers, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics is the processing expert in molding, extrusion and all-encompassing custom fabrication for OEM’s.