Short for Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene, UHMW is a thermoplastic material that is known for a wide range of beneficial properties. Not only is it both FDA and NSF compliant, but when compared to alternatives it also offers far better abrasive resistance as well. Filled varieties are also available – including those with both gas and oil – making it versatile and ideal for any applications that require an extreme level of strength.
UHMW has been growing in popularity for quite some time and now, a recent report has all but confirmed it. According to the experts at Corporate Ethos, the global UHMW market is looking quite prosperous between 2022 and at least 2028 for a variety of different reasons.
The Future of UHMW: An Overview
The good news is that this market rebound comes at a much-needed time, when the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted production in both the United States and Europe. Organizations that are having their manufacturing duties handled in China have been particularly affected, leading (in part) to a lot of the supply chain disruptions that we’re now all experiencing.
Part of the impending growth of the market has to do with addressing issues stemming from not only a lack of raw materials, but a lack of labor as well. Once both of these problems have finally been addressed, the market will continue to grow quite nicely.
Interestingly enough, mechanical equipment is expected to lead the charge in terms of growth in this sector – at least until 2025. UHMW is commonly used in machine equipment across a huge number of vertices including textiles, packaging, minerals and metals, transportation and even cement.
This is because UHMW is known for its abrasion resistance and superior surface lubricity, which goes a long way towards guaranteeing the free movement of machine parts. This can help save organizations a tremendous amount of money because they don’t have to worry as much about maintenance from things like dirt or other obstructions. These same properties can also reduce the amount of unplanned downtime instances that they experience with their machines – something that leads to even more cost-savings as well.
Other factors are certainly contributing to this uptick in activity as well. UHMW, thanks to its durable nature, is commonly used in joint replacement surgeries for things like knees and hips. Obviously given the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of these surgeries taking place has gone down. But with vaccines rolling out and a potential end to the Coronavirus in sight, more of them are happening – leading to an increased demand for material. UHMW is also used in the production of prosthetics as well.
The Spiratex Approach
At Spiratex, we’ve been honored to offer our clients excellence in terms of custom extrusion since all the way back in 1955. We’re masters of complexity – the more difficult a design, the more we like it and bring our expertise and ingenuity to the table.
We offer custom tubing, custom profiles, fabrication services – you name it. In addition to the aforementioned UHMW we also work with materials like Acetal (POM), High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), Nylon (Polyamide), Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPE) and others. Regardless of what your needs happen to be, we’re ready and waiting to rise to the challenge of meeting them.
So to find out more information about what the future of the UHMW market holds, or to speak to someone about your own needs in a bit more detail, please don’t delay – contact Spiratex today.
