New Tyvek plant frees capacity for U.S. medical packaging

By building a new Tyvek production line in its Luxembourg facility, DowDuPont Specialty Products Div. will be freeing up medical packaging capacity in the U.S.

Christian Marx, vp and general manager for Tyvek-Typar at DowDuPont, explains, “Although we are expanding our Tyvek capacity, we plan to continue producing Tyvek for medical and pharmaceutical packaging on our existing Tyvek lines so that no requalification will be required by our customers. However, Medical and Pharmaceutical Protection customers will still benefit from the capacity expansion as the new line will free capacity on the existing MPP lines.”

The new Luxembourg expansion, which will represent an investment of more than $400 million, consists of a new building and third line, expected to be in online in 2021.

When asked about the capacity of the new line, Lori Gettelfinger, global communications and brand leader for DuPont Tyvek, says, “We don’t disclose capacity for Tyvek. Richmond, Va., has four production lines and Luxembourg currently has two production lines. The new line will be the third full-scale production line for Tyvek at Luxembourg. DuPont supplies Tyvek for medical packaging globally from both the Richmond and Luxembourg plants.”

According to Gettelfinger, the new Tyvek line in Luxembourg is expected to start up in 2020 with first commercial production shipped to customers in 2021. “As we move production for other markets like protective apparel and graphics to the new production line, we will be increasing the total capacity for Tyvek Medical Packaging on the existing Tyvek lines,” she says. “Additionally, we anticipate that we will be able to meet the market demand for Tyvek until the new line is operational in 2021.”

Learn more about Tyvek and medical packaging trends

Join a panel of experts at MD&M East (co-located with EastPack) on June 12 for a free Lunch & Learn to hear them discuss how key medical device trends could impact packaging. In “The Medical Device World is Changing Faster than Ever…How Must Medical Packaging Adapt?”, panelists will discuss topics from 3D printing of implants to drone delivery. Moderated by Condylia Courtney, Americas market manager, DuPont Tyvek Medical & Pharmaceutical Protection, the panel will include Mark Speers, partner and managing director, Health Advances, DuPont; and Meg Pyers, global marketing manager, Tyvek Medical & Pharmaceutical Protection.

Tues., June 12, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in Room 1E14 on Level 1 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. Click here for details.

In addition to medical and pharmaceutical packaging, Tyvek—which celebrated its 50th birthday in 2017—is used for envelopes; garments for workers in industrial and cleanroom applications and for first responders; graphics; and protective packaging, including cargo covers for pharmaceuticals and perishables.