Injection Moulding Asia Medical Devices Sector
Medical equipment manufacturing shows symptoms of growth Despite the adverse impact of the Covid-19
During the first six months, the value of incoming orders for machines produced in Germany and China rose by almost 25%, the Japanese-German manufacturer said, adding that the packaging and medical technology sectors account for most of the orders. Likewise, demand for all-electric machines is also rising sharply, so the company has to increase its production capacities in its IntElect series. As a result of stable sales, SHI Demag expects to post a 17% increase year-onyear, in overall incoming orders for 2020.
crisis on many industries, it has failed to
flatten the growth curve for medical devices producers who are successfully meeting
the demand for critical medical equipment, says Angelica Buan in this report.
Healthcare sector pumps up machine demand The healthcare system has witnessed a major disruption since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. For one, demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical devices during this period has outpaced supply. Health resources are channelled towards securing medical equipment supply and in reinforcing the Covid-19 response. At the same time, the medical technology industry is counted upon to fill in the demand for PPEs, ventilators, test kits, respirators, and other critical medical supplies. For the plastic injection moulding industry, it is clear that it has an important role to play in bridging the demand-supply gap, and in producing top of the line PPEs to effectively contain virus spread. At this time, demand for injection moulding machines has risen. Indeed, demand for injection moulding machines are at its peak. One such machine maker Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has recently reported machine order increases. It said that it has maintained a healthy order book in the first half of 2020, compared to the first half of 2019.
Stocking up the market with high-tech masks The World Health Organisation (WHO) has specified the types of masks to be worn to obtain the optimum protection as worldwide demand for masks surge. German machine manufacturer Arburg has begun making high-tech masks, following its production of protective glasses on its Allrounder machines at its Lossburg headquarters in mid-April.
Arburg’s sterilisable high-tech masks are moulded from liquid silicone rubber and PP, and are designed for multiple uses
The face masks, which Arburg has been producing since May, are moulded from LSR (liquid silicone rubber) and PP. About 3,500 of these multifunctional high-tech masks are expected to be produced daily under series production conditions, Arburg said. Gerhard BĂśhm, Arburg Managing Director Sales, said that they have since been getting specific requests for the masks from hospitals and nursing homes from all over the region.
SHI Demag has reported a spike in machine orders in the first half of the year; and increased its production capacities in its IntElect series
3 AUGUST 2020
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