In the overview above, we present the combined production technologies of our Medical Division.

Description of production technologies

The combination of different technologies enables us to add extra properties to our absorbent medical nonwoven wound pads like : increasing the loftiness, softness, absorbency, detectable, anti bacterial, strength, spreading, light transmission low adherency (does not stick to the wound), hydrophobic, hydrophilic etc.

Laminating

In our laminating department we do have 3 different laminating technologies in order to attach different materials to each other. Various layers are attached by means of heat and pressure. During this process a thin in-between layer is melted, which, in fact, provides the adhesion of the various layers. This in-between layer may be a net or dot coating made of, for instance polyethylene, polypropylene or polyamide. The laminated layers may be composed of viscose, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyester, cotton, polyamide etc. As described in our Technologies and Products chart it is possible to combine in this way the properties of the various layers to a specific product. Laminating is done up to a width of 2.05 m maximum.

Nonwovens

Our own nonwoven plant is unique in the world because we are totally focusing on the production of medical nonwovens and are only using medical grade fibers. We use several technologies: maliwatt, malivlies, needlepunching, thermal bonding. With the maliwatt technology, yarns are stitched through a so-called drylaid web. The web is composed of fibres such as viscose, polypropylene, polyester or a mixture. Closely related with this is the malivlies technology. During this production process fibres are stitched into each other. With the needlepunching technology the web of fibres is bonded by means of needles. With the thermal bonding technology the drylaid web is bonded by melting synthetic fibres and calendering. A wide range of nonwovens can be produced, mainly in the weight range of  80-450 g/m2.

Stitching

The maliwatt technology is also used to reinforce lightweight nonwovens with yarns without losing flexibility, or to stitch various layers together to a multilayer composite.

Slitting and die-cutting

The wound pads are supplied slitted on rolls so that they can be put directly on the plaster, bandage and dressing machines. Any width as from 10 mm onwards and roll lengths between 150 -1.000 m1 depending upon the quality. We are also producing bulk rolls which can be converted by our customers.
Die cutting is a service to the market for producers who are willing to start a production but can not  invest in a dressing machine. The wound pads are punched out and packed in bulk in special export cartons. Our customers are packing and sterilising these.  We are able to produce any dimension and shape like for instance the tracheo-dressings.

Coating

In order to give our medical nonwoven wound pads  additional properties we use techniques like powder coating, vacuum coating and special plasma evaporation techniques. Raw materials which are used are polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, aluminium , silver, titanium etc.

Medication / Impregnation

In order to give our wound pads anti bacterial properties we can medicate it with Cetyl Pyrridinium Chloride, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Aluminium, Silver etc. Concentration according to your requirements.