WilMarc: Developing PVC Free Medical Devices
As sustainable and green initiatives gather momentum across industries, the healthcare sector has woken up to realize the hidden health hazards associated with PVC-based medical devices. Compounds such as plasticizers present in these products produce a range of toxic effects and perilous health problems that affect the functioning of the human body. Numerous reports have substantiated the environmental impact of toxic chemicals in plastics, which has led to public pressure on hospitals for accountability. Acknowledging the potential risks of PVC-based medical products on patients and physician health, there is a surging demand among hospitals and medical facilities for clean and green alternatives. Supporting this call for reform, woman-owned company and U.S based manufacturer of medical devices, WilMarc specializes in creating medical devices using alternative materials that are PVC free.
“We combined our experience of 32 years in manufacturing PVC free medical device components to offer our first line of Anesthesia circuits that are completely PVC free,” says Marcia Coulson, CEO of WilMarc. “The materials performed better than the current PVC products and we are also able to match the price point of PVC,” she adds. The company ensures that the products are DEHP and PVC free with a definite emphasis on patient health and safety. As WilMarc embraces the new materials available in the industry, the team is constantly on the search to innovate and find manufacturing methods that can improve and enhance medical devices. The WilMarc team works proactively with clinical specialists to ensure that there is a continuous quality improvement that is incorporated into all of WilMarc’s processes. With a brand new 93,000 square foot facility built at Fort Collins, Colorado, WilMarc provides contract manufacturing to other companies that are looking to have their PVC free devices manufactured within the country. This eliminates the costs and other concerns that companies usually face related to importing from different locations. Coulson then explains, “One cannot manufacture PVC free devices in the same factory where you manufacture the PVC devices. PVC material attacks other plastic resins and causes them to breakdown. Ours is a clean facility that does not manufacture PVC devices.” Other processes carried out within the state-of-the-art-facility include injection molding, extrusion of tubing, and ultrasonic welding.
For the fourth time at the trade show “CleanMed” which is to be held at Nashville this year, WilMarc will be showcasing itself as a manufacturer of PVC free medical devices. Besides being the only U.S manufacturer that produces PVC free anesthesia breathing circuits in the country, WilMarc manufactures corrugated tubing, masks, gas sample lines, and fittings that are put together to form a kit that can be customized and built for anesthesiologists. The company’s centralized location has given it easy access to the coast on either side for product distribution. The products are distributed to hospitals through the well-connected network of distributors and representatives that help WilMarc widen its customer reach. WilMarc has brought about a change in the way the disposable medical device market functions by designing and manufacturing PVC free products that are environmentally safe when disposed of. In the quest to make its mark in the healthcare sector, WilMarc is working to launch new products into the market and their distribution across the U.S to increase the customer base. The WilMarc team is committed to helping hospitals move toward a healthier PVC free medical industry and support the green initiative.
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