Eastman has a foam-time at MD&M

Pacur LLC has introduced its new PETG foam for medical packaging, confirming it has been made with Eastman Eastalite copolyester.

The opaque, extruded, multilayer product is an alternative to high-impact polystyrene for opaque rigid medical packaging.

Pacur collaborated with Eastman and thermoformer Tek Pak to create and launch the new lightweight material.

Jim Bank, Vice President of Sales at Pacur, said: “Medical companies are looking for materials that are easy to use and environmentally friendly while providing exceptional protection for their products, and Pacur PETG foam meets all of that criteria.”

Pacur PETG foam is made from skins of a product familiar to the medical market, Eastman Eastar copolyester 6763, and its core is made with Eastman Eastalite copolyester.

The foamed Eastalite copolyester core provides a light weighting cushioning effect and this structure means the opaque material is shock-absorbent for impact resistance during shipping.

When thermoformed into packages, the multilayer sheeting offers a physical barrier to microbes and product protection for medical devices.

Tony Beyer, Owner of Tek Pak, said: “Pacur PETG foam was easy to work with and has many qualities we value as a thermoformer.

 “We were able to run the machine faster with the Pacur PETG foam than with an equivalent polystyrene material.

“The material is easily trimmed and removed from the forming machine and has a beautiful pearlescent look.

“Overall, it’s an upscale material that has unique properties compared to other materials in the market.”

The Eastman Eastalite copolyester is also made without materials of concern, including butadiene, bisphenol A, bisphenol S, ortho-phthalates or halogens such as chlorine or bromine.

Aneta Clark, Market Development Manager at Eastman said: “Eastman Eastalite copolyester resonates among processors and thermoformers because of its ease of processing and clean cutting.

“This is extremely important to us because it allows our value chain collaborators to gain efficiency in their production and even cut out some secondary processes.

“Through working with Pacur and Tek Pak, we are now able to provide these benefits to the market and demonstrate the potential of Eastalite in opaque medical packaging.”