Solvay Specialty Polymers Announces Availability of Solviva® Biomaterials in Brazil
Latest Expansion Targets Growing Brazilian Demand for Thermoplastic
Biomaterials in Orthopedic and Cardiovascular Applications
ALPHARETTA, Ga., – The Solviva® Biomaterials line of high-performance plastics for implantable applications – manufactured by Solvay Specialty Polymers - is now commercially available in Brazil, the company has announced. The biomaterials line, previously available in the U.S. and Europe and also recently launched in China, is targeted to meet growing demand in the Brazilian market, complementing Solvay’s already extensive healthcare offering in Brazil which includes medical polymers for non-implantable uses.
Following its recent expansion in China, Solvay is poised to take the next step in its global business strategy and expand the Solviva® Biomaterials line in the growing Brazilian market, according to Maria Gallahue-Worl, Global Industry Manager-Healthcare for Solvay Specialty Polymers. “With our broad product portfolio we are firmly positioned as a strategic supplier to the Brazilian healthcare industry and this expansion in biomaterials signals our further commitment to the global market,” said Gallahue-Worl. “We are leveraging our position as a leading supplier of high-performance polymers to support applications from instrumentation to implants.” Solviva® Biomaterials will primarily be targeted at orthopedic and cardiovascular applications.
New availability for its Solviva® Biomaterials in Brazil will unlock key business opportunities and firmly position the company for future growth, said Gallahue-Worl. Solvay will serve the Brazilian market from its Sao Paulo facility. The company will continue to assess the global market and examine other potential expansions in key geographic regions.
Solvay’s commercial success in the U.S. and Europe with Solviva® Biomaterials is highlighted by the growing use of Zeniva® PEEK in the spinal fusion market. Zeniva® PEEK boasts a modulus very close to that of bone plus excellent biocompatibility, toughness, and fatigue resistance. For implantable medical devices, the Solviva® Biomaterials line also includes Proniva® self-reinforced polyphenylene (SRP), one of the world’s stiffest and strongest unreinforced thermoplastics which offers exceptional biocompatibility and hardness; Veriva® polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), which provides unsurpassed toughness combined with transparency and excellent biocompatibility; and Eviva® polysulfone (PSU), which offers practical toughness in a strong, transparent polymer.
Solviva® Biomaterials can be sterilized via all conventional methods including gamma radiation, ethylene oxide, and steam. These products are available in resin for injection molding or extrusion, as well as stock shapes for machined components.
The entire line of thermoplastic Solviva® Biomaterials is manufactured in compliance with the relevant aspects of ISO 13485 and under the relevant aspects of current Good Manufacturing Practices. Solvay’s biomaterial manufacturing processes are carefully validated and enhanced controls provide product traceability. In addition, all materials are tested in an accredited lab that is ISO 17025 compliant.
Solvay’s experience as a key materials supplier in the healthcare field spans more than 25 years. The company is a leading manufacturer of high-performance plastics, offering a broad range of materials for healthcare instruments and medical devices, along with its line of Solviva® Biomaterials for implantable devices.
The company is a full-service supplier, providing design support, technical service, and application development support for the global healthcare market. Solvay also continues to devote considerable research and development activities to polymer technology and commercialization of new and unique material options for medical OEMs and processors.
About Solvay Specialty Polymers
Solvay Specialty Polymers (www.solvayspecialtypolymers.com) is a leading global supplier of high-performance thermoplastics for implantable and non-implantable medical devices. The company has expanded its focus on the healthcare industry to meet the growing needs of its global customers. Solvay is building on its 20-year history as a key material supplier in the healthcare field, devoting considerable new resources to help customers be more efficient and cut costs. Metal-to-plastic replacement remains a key focus for manufacturers, but increased cost pressures pose a new challenge as the market continues to grow at a double-digit pace. Solvay also continues to devote considerable research and development activities to polymer technology and commercialization of new and unique material options for medical OEMs and processors.
Solvay Specialty Polymers manufactures over 1500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers – fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds – for use in Aerospace, Alternative Energy, Automotive, Healthcare, Membranes, Oil and Gas, Packaging, Plumbing, Semiconductors, Wire and Cable, and other industries. Learn more at www.solvay.com.
Solvay (www.solvay.com) is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a clear focus on innovation and operational excellence. It is realizing over 90% of its sales in markets where it is among the top 3 global leaders. Solvay offers a broad range of products that contribute to improving quality of life and the performance of its customers in markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment, and electronics. The Group is headquartered in Brussels and its companies, which employ about 31,000 people in 55 countries, generated EUR 12.7 billion in net sales in 2011 (pro forma). Solvay SA is listed as SOLB.BE on NYSE Euronext (www.euronext.com) in Brussels and Paris. Bloomberg (www.bloomberg.com) = SOLB.BB. Reuters (www.reuters.com) = SOLB.BR.
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