Eastman makes 'lite work' of medical packaging
The launch of Eastman’s Eastalite copolyester was a key attraction at Compamed. The company explains the benefits of its new offering.
At the recent Compamed exhibition Eastman drew visitors’ attention to its new Eastalite copolyester. This is the company’s first opaque offering in the medical packaging portfolio, to the European market and it teamed up with Carolex packaging to showcase the new material the event. Carolex is the first Europe-based extruder to use Eastalite to develop sheet material, which was on display at the show along with other new medical market offerings from Eastman.
“Eastman Eastalite copolyester is the first step toward creating lightweight packaging, and the unique product will open new opportunities for specific medical applications,” said Laurent Bouchet, commercial director, VitasheetGroup Carolex.
“Carolex has a long history of working with Eastman, so we trusted the team’s experience while venturing into this new material and are intrigued by the possibilities.”
Processing and performance advantages
Eastman Eastalite copolyester is a sustainable alternative to high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) for opaque rigid medical packaging and has been designed to be a cost-effective, styrene-free material that is easier to process. The material is best-suited for applications in which lightweighting and other sustainable attributes are part of their fitness-for-use requirements, including work-in-progress trays, thermoformed pharmaceutical packaging and packaging for medical devices or kits.
“Eastman Eastalite copolyester provides brand owners and medical device manufacturers with a styrene-free and easy-to-use material that comes at a price comparable to HIPS,” said Ferdi Faas, market development manager, Eastman Chemical Company.
“Carolex, being the first European extruder to use the new material, is ahead of the competition by providing its customers more value with less environmental impact.”
According to Eastman, thermoforming Eastman Eastalite copolyester into rigid trays can reduce waste and cleaning through a reduced risk of particulates and angel hair generation, as well as lessen processing and inspection time. It also has the potential to cut down on cycle times when compared with HIPS, says the company, due to faster processing at lower temperatures. Extruded Eastalite contains a foam core with contact surface skins of Eastar copolyester 6763.
Containers formed from Eastman Eastalite copolyester extruded sheet can be designed with deep undercuts, with durable living hinges, and exhibit less stress whitening than packaging molded from HIPS, says Eastman. Eastalite can also provide greater tear strength, while retaining colour stability and functional integrity following sterilisation by ethylene oxide (EtO), or gamma irradiation.
A sustainable alternative material
Eastman believes that its Eastalite copolyester offering helps fill an unmet need in the medical industry for sustainable and lightweight rigid medical packaging made without materials of concern. Although sheet extruded from Eastalite can be processed with the same thermoforming, trimming and sealing equipment as HIPS, its lower process temperatures offer opportunities for sustainable packaging.
Eastalite is a styrene-free alternative to HIPS and other competitive products. It does not contain butadiene, bisphenol A, bisphenol S, ortho-phthalates, or halogens such as chlorine or bromine. The material is also compliant with select ISO 10993 requirements for medical device biocompatibility and applicable parts of ISO 11607 requirements.