However, as these bottle closures are introduced into the market, the DuPont team is prepared to create customized stoppers and tubings to fit customer need and size, said Diana Salvadori, DuPont Liveo Americas marketing leader.
"We are responding to the growth and needs of the market, which includes TPE tubing needs," Salvadori said, adding that the development of these bottle closures were established based on customer feedback and industry trends. "The numbers and dimensions of these tubing pieces can be altered to (customize) for specific needs and we expect to work closely (with customers) in this area."
Silicone tubing is available in durometers of 50, 65 and 80. A more extensive range of tubing lengths and diameters can be accommodated based on client needs, Salvadori said. The number and dimensions of tubing pieces molded to seals are determined by the closure size. An external polypropylene cap is supplied with the silicone closure assembly.
Both the silicone extruded tubing and molded parts are constructed with biomedical-grade silicone elastomers formulated and compounded by DuPont to enable high purity by design.
These stoppers and tubings also can be used with critical vaccine or drug products, and are manufactured as a one-piece silicone seal part made from biomedical-grade, platinum-cured silicone elastomer and molded with high-purity platinum-cured silicone tubing. This makes the product particularly suitable for preventing leak and contamination risk, Salvadori said.
Large quantities in the hundreds to thousands are likely to be ordered by customers, she added.
The bottle closures are made in Michigan, where more than 200 employees work. Some components used to make them are outsourced from third-party vendors, which could cause some issues given the local supply chain challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Salvadori said her Liveo team is not worried about those supply chain issues or the company's ability to manufacture end products. The company is confident that the upfront investments made to secure raw materials will help support manufacturing needs.
The stoppers and tubing were showcased at two industry trade events in October—in China and New York City. They also will be featured by DuPont at the CPhl Worldwide in Milan from Nov. 19-21. Sample products are available now with larger orders expected to be filled by the start of 2022.
"We see this as a complementary option for customers because we can vary the configurations," Salvadori said.
Tubing applications also can be customized. This ability to customize both silicone stoppers and tubings makes it an area of growth for the Liveo team in the years ahead. DuPont plans to strategically expand its elastomer capacity to support the growth of existing and new customers.
DuPont Liveo manufactures more than 100 high-performance materials for the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical markets, supporting medical device companies and pharmaceutical solutions providers, among others. Its products are designed to create safer health care environments, benefiting both patients and health care workers.
