INTRODUCTION
STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The objective of this study is to analyze current and future North American markets for medical plastics,
excluding medical packaging. REASONS FOR DOING STUDY Plastics usage in the healthcare field encompasses several distinct
markets-predominantly applications for medical devices and related products, and for packaging. Market research studies in the past have often
combined these two applications, which does not benefit companies exclusively involved in either medical devices or in medical packaging. This study
will cover plastics usage in medical devices that have sustained average annual growth rates far in excess of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The
aging of the U.S. population, continuing cost reduction pressures in the healthcare field, advances in polymer performance, introduction of new and
often life-saving devices, and the ever-present environmental/disposable/nondisposable medical device triad warrant an in-depth study as we continue
into this decade. SCOPE AND FORMAT This report will be somewhat different from previous BCC studies, which have focused on materials such
as resins and elastomers. This report will treat only the medical device industry. All industry and market information will be updated, and more
definitive and detailed market estimates will be provided. The changing face of the medical device industry, new types of medical devices,
legislative/regulatory and environmental issues, new products and technologies related to medical devices, sterilization techniques and impact on
polymer selection, polymer usage in medical devices, the status of PVC, and medical plastics product lines and trade named products are some of the
topics that are covered. METHODOLOGY An extensive review was undertaken of trade and technical literature on plastics use in medical
devices. Following the collection and analysis of this data, unresolved issues were discussed with polymer producers, compounders and medical device
manufacturers. The word "millions" is often abbreviated as "MM," and average growth rates are annually compounded. All tables not
sourced from BCC, Inc. were extracted from a variety of trade literature sources. ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS The following is a list of
plastic-related acronyms used in this report:
- ABS : Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer
- COPEs : Copolyester elastomer
- EAA : Ethylene acrylic acid
- EMA : Ethylene methylacrylate
- EVA : Ethylene-vinyl-acetate
- HDPE : High-density polyethylene
- HIPS : High-impact polystyrene
- LCP : Liquid crystal polymers
- LDPE : Low-density polyethylene
- LLDPE : Linear low-density polyethylene
- m- : Metallocene
- PBT : Poly(butylene terephthalate)
- PC : Polycarbonate
- PC/ABS : Polycarbonate-ABS alloy/blend
- PC/PET : Polycarbonate-PET alloy/blend
- PE : Polyethylene
- PEEK : Polyetheretherketone
- PEI : Polyetherimides
- PET : Poly(ethylene terephthalate)
- PP : Polypropylene
- PPO : Poly(phenylene oxide)
- PUR : Polyurethanes
- PVC : Polyvinyl chloride
- SAN : Styrene acrylonitrile
- SBC : Styrene block copolymer
- SPS : Syndiotactic polystyrene
- TPE : Thermoplastic elastomer
- TPO : Thermoplastic olefin
- TPU : Thermoplastic urethane
- TPV : Thermoplastic vulcanizates
- ULDPE : Ultra low-density polyethylene
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