MSM Poly, a newly formed company led by medical plastics industry veteran Patrick Mickle, has just announced that the firm has begun laboratory synthesis of acrylonitrile methyl acrylate copolymer latex (AMAC). 

In a news release, Mickle states that “a core group of pharma packaging and other companies approached us through the consultancy Montesino Associates to seek an alternate, ongoing supply of AMAC following the discontinuation of production of a trademarked AMAC by a major supplier. We formed for that purpose and are moving rapidly to commercial production.”

Mickle tells PMP News this material “is what the pharmaceutical packaging world seeks—an AMAC resin, rather than another chemistry trying to match AMAC properties.” 

MSM Poly set out to develop a solution that could be used for pharmaceutical barrier film extrusions, Mickle explains. “We are in the lab stages to confirm we can meet the required specifications,” he says. “We are ahead of schedule.” The company expects to be able to support sustained commercial production by early 2016, it stated in the release. It plans to offer a pelletized product to converters.

Production is taking place at Tiarco Chemical’s Greenville, SC, facility. Tiarco Chemical, a producer latex additives and other chemical compounds with multiple facilities around the world, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Textile Rubber & Chemical Inc. MSM Poly and Tiarco Chemical are in negotiation for long-term production of AMAC at the Greenville facility in parallel with current development efforts there, it was reported in the release.

MSM Poly plans to “develop capacity first for pharma, then look to other markets,” says Mickle.

MSM Poly is financed by Mickle, who founded Kelcourt Plastics in 1982 and sold it to PPC Industries in December 2010. He then served as Executive President for PPC Industries/Kelpac Medical until 2013.

For more information, contact Mickle at [email protected].