New Innovations from Plastic Packaging Firm

-- Packaging Digest, 9/22/2008 10:09:00 AM

Mar-Lee Companies, Inc., is a modern-day pioneer in a region where the nation's plastics industry evolved [North Central Massachusetts] and continues to grow with new technologies and innovations. The firm currently incorporates three divisions: Mar-Lee Medical; Mar-Lee Packaging & Consumer Products; and, Mar-Lee Mold. A new web site has been launched that describes in detail the capabilities of each division: http://www.mar-leecompanies.com.

The company was recently purchased by Texen, a French packaging company with a focus on the upscale health and beauty packaging markets. Mar-Lee plans to add a health and beauty packaging division to facilitate expansion of this segment within the U.S.
Mar-Lee customers include medical device companies, producers of consumer goods and other OEMs [original equipment manufacturers].

Project & Marketing Manager Michael Gravelle explains the firm's basic mission, "In any of our divisions, it's all about finding the best solution for our clients through lean manufacturing. We here at Mar-Lee consider our customers to be 'partners.' We operate with a set of core competencies that are crafted into a program cycle customized for each partner. Our project management team works simultaneously with our partner's management team to eliminate any inefficient or unnecessary processes."

He points out, for example, that Mar-Lee, "has gained a huge advantage with the use of new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software from IQMS... With roots in the plastics manufacturing industry, IQMS stood out among its competitors because of its experience and plastics specialization.

"Over the course of the last few months," Mr. Gravelle adds, "the IQMS system has been perfected and precisely coordinated to fit specific Mar-Lee needs. Data is automatically tracked from live workcells to control inventory and production schedules. Sales and distribution have been consolidated, and comprehensive reports can answer inquiries about the status of orders. IQMS's ERP software has enabled Mar-Lee to consolidate and improve many of its processes, and will continue to translate into customer benefits."
However, the real excitement at Mar-Lee, he admits, is in its Medical Division, which specializes in the molding of bio-absorbable materials including Polylactic Acid (PLA) and other similar biomedical resins. "PLA," he explains, "is a biopolymer made from renewable, natural sources such as corn-starch and sugarcane... polylactic acid can be used in place of petroleum-based polymers."

There are many applications for this material, including the fairly common absorbable suture, as well as absorbable bone screws and anchors for fixation devices and soft tissue re-attachment. Other applications include implantable stents, devices used in fusion, and structural based applications for the spine and maxillofacial surgical applications. Bioresorbable products offer advantages over the traditional metallic implants because this material provides biomechanical stability with eventual re-absorption, reducing many of the risks posed by traditional components, including loosening, imaging interference, and implant migration/failure requiring surgical absorption removal or replacement.

Gravelle notes, "Mar-Lee Medical began with bio-absorbable applications and we continue to use our processing knowledge and PLA expertise to produce components for a number of challenging clinical areas. We are actively teaming up with the producers of these specialty resins to improve the usability of these materials - our goal is to enable our partners to use bio-resins in an increasing number of applications as soon as they become technologically possible."

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