DUBLIN, February 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/52hhqs/medical_polymers) has announced the addition of the "Concise Analysis of the International Medical Polymers, Resins And Fibers, Elastomers & Biodegradable Plastics Market - Forecasts to 2018" report to their offering.

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Engineering plastics that are used in medical and healthcare applications are termed as medical polymers. These fibers and resins, elastomers and biodegradable materials possess qualities such as low weight, biocompatibility, that are suitable for medical applications. Medical devices, implants and equipment are used extensively and the demand for medical polymers is thus increasing due to their biocompatibility in these applications. Medical polymers are usually used in spinal implants, hip & joint replacements and implants for cranial injuries.

Growing demand for medical devices, an increasing ageing populations and a growing preference towards home healthcare treatment are some of the factors that have been driving the market in the past few years. At the same time, the strict regulatory guidelines laid down by various government and health organizations and the increasing volatility of raw material prices have been holding back the market for medical polymers in terms of new product launches and subsequent revenues. The increasing importance of biodegradable materials in medical applications is also expected to be a major future trend.

Technological advancement that can improve implant capabilities, thus enabling better properties and biocompatibility are in focus in the product segment of medical polymers. Fibers and resins such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS) and others such as Nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and other polyamides (PA) are major materials used in medical applications. Of these PVC and PP are expected to show the highest demand while the demand for others is expected to grow at a rapid pace. Similarly, elastomers such as styrene block copolymers (SBCs), rubber latex and others (TPO, TPU and TPV) are in great demand as well. Of these, rubber latex is expected to occupy the largest share in the market. Biodegradable polymers are relatively new materials in the medical segment and although their consumption is restricted to high-performance medical applications, they are expected to exhibit impressive growth rates over the duration of the forecast period.

The medical polymer market by application includes polymers used in medical devices & equipment as well as medical packaging. Medical devices and equipment showed the highest demand from various application segments globally. Polymer materials used in medical packaging showed slightly lesser demand in 2011 but are expected to exhibit better growth rates over medical devices and equipment and thus at the end of the forecast period are expected to occupy a majority of the market share in the medical applications of polymers. 

Key Topics Covered: 

1 Preface

2 Executive Summary

3 Global Medical Polymer: Industry Analysis

4 Global Medical Polymers Market: Product Segment Analysis

5 Global Medical Polymers Market: Application Analysis

6 Global Medical Polymers Market: Regional Analysis

7 Company Profiles

Companies Mentioned:

• ASF
• Bayer Material Science
• Celanese Corporation
• China Haohua Chemical Group
• DSM
• E. I. du Pont de Nemours
• Eastman Chemical
• Evonik Industries
• Exxon Mobil Corporation
• Formosa Plastics Corporation
• Huizhou Foryou Medical Device
• Huntsman Corporation
• INEOS
• Jafron Biomedical
• Kraton Performance Polymers
• Lubrizol Corporation
• Ningbo Yonghua Resin
• Piaoan group
• SABIC Innovative Plastics
• SINOPEC Shanghai Petrochemical
• Shanghai New Shanghua Polymer Material
• Sinopec Beijing Yanshan Company
• Solvay
• The Dow Chemical
• Tianjin Plastics Research Institute
• Victrex
• WEIGAO Holding

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/52hhqs/medical_polymers

Media Contact: Laura Wood , +353-1-481-1716, press@researchandmarkets.net

SOURCE Research and Markets