Matrix Plastics Ltd, a market leader in the colouring and compounding of plastic and other materials, has announced the establishment of new sub-brand Matrix Medical Plastics. Operating from a purpose-built facility adjacent to the Matrix Plastics main site, Matrix Medical Plastics will provide fully compliant medical compounding services to manufacturers worldwide.
Matrix Plastics has been working with polymers for medical applications for many years; the company works with some of the UK’s leading medical equipment manufacturers in applications such as oxygen masks, tubing, ventilation equipment, surgical equipment and medicine dispensers. Establishing Matrix Medical Plastics and its associated dedicated and compliant facilities has been a significant business development, initiated in response to the growing demand for strictly controlled medical equipment.
According to market research company Grand View Research Inc, the global medical plastics market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7% (revenue-based) from 2020 to 2027. The rise in demand for medical components has been attributed to a combination of factors: the global Covid-19 pandemic; the growing aging population; the growth of the home healthcare sector; and technology innovations with polymer materials.
Nigel Batt, Managing Director of Matrix, said: “We’ve been working with medical customers for a long time but it’s becoming more and more evident that the stringent quality and process control demands of the medical sector need to be met with even higher quality standards when it comes to material processing and manufacturing. Following significant investment, we now pride ourselves on being the UK's first 'cleanroom' medical plastic compounding facility with a sterile manufacturing environment and impeccable hygiene standards.”
At the brand-new Matrix Medical Plastics site, all medical colour compounds and masterbatches are processed and tested according to ISO Class 9 cleanroom regulations and under ISO 13485 quality management systems for medical devices. Further to this, all ingredients used on site in the production of medical products meet the requirements of ISO 10993-1:2018 and USP Class VI. The strictly controlled manufacturing facility and high-quality ingredients ensure that all colour compounds and masterbatches are produced in accordance with WHO and FDA Good Manufacturing Practices. Additionally, full laboratory testing is available covering a comprehensive range of microbiological and chemical testing at any point of the manufacturing process.
Matrix Medical Plastics begins its operations at the end of October 2020.