Further investments in NOVA Chemicals’ polyethylene business caps and closures will improve the company’s polyethylene closure performance, develop new resins and ease the conversion to one-piece polyethylene closures.

The new injection moulding unit and the lab were commissioned as part of the major expansion project that broke ground at the Centre for Performance Applications in August, in order to transform the R&D facility into a hub for collaborating with customers on the development of higher-value products and applications for the company’s polyethylene resins business.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery’s Systec series of hydraulic injection moulding machines now generate low noise levels to approximately 60dB with the use of the activeDrive drive concept.

Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, NOVA Chemicals is a wholly-owned subsidiary of UAE-based International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC). It develops and manufactures chemicals, plastic resins, ethylene, and a variety of energy co-products. The company’s revenue and net profit for 2013 were $5.27bn and $658m respectively.

The new lab-scale injection moulding unit is equipped with a Sumitomo injection moulding machine and a customised Z Moulds carbonated soft drink cap mould, which is capable of producing commercial-grade closures.

NOVA Chemicals commissioned a new injection moulding unit and an advanced laboratory at its polyethylene research and development (R&D) facility, known as the Centre for Performance Applications, in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in September.

NOVA Chemicals commissioned a new injection moulding unit and an advanced laboratory at its polyethylene research and development (R&D) facility, known as the Centre for Performance Applications, in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in September.

Stuart Thomson, vice president of business development, said: “This is a significant step forward for the medical device industry in the UK’s eastern region, leveraging our organisations’ collective strengths and expertise, along with our respective medical technology pipelines, to accelerate the development of innovative UK medical devices and launch them successfully around the world. Medovate's experienced team will work seamlessly with JEB Technologies to drive innovation development which will positively impact healthcare globally.”

Medovate and JEB Technologies will combine their strengths across the full medical device development pipeline, from concept design, product development and manufacturing, through to successful regulatory approvals and global market launches. Medovate's approach to developing technologies in collaboration with the NHS will be complemented by JEB's manufacturing experience – spanning over 50 years – in developing, manufacturing, and commercialising products globally.

The Centre for Performance Applications, upon its expansion, will focus on product development process with resin testing, development of applications and collaboration with customers.

Medovate, a medical device development company based in Cambridge, and JEB Technologies, a specialist in end-to-end medical device design and manufacturing, have become part of the same group structure that will integrate their management, skill sets and expertise.

The polyethylene R&D centre will work in collaboration with NOVA Chemicals’ Centre for Applied Research, formerly named Research & Technology Centre (NRTC), also located in Calgary, to build up the company’s product-quality by developing a customer-centric approach to product development and innovation.

Caps made from the new moulder undergo quality checks using a suite of modern equipment and technologies in the newly renovated onsite lab, which helps both the company and its customers to analyse the performance of polyethylene closures in actuality.

The company also installed a suite of new equipment and component upgrades to support the existing rotational moulding equipment at the centre in October. The upgrades included advanced software to align Ferry Industries’ rotational moulding equipment, to meet industry standards based on data quality, reliability, process control and efficiency. In addition, a new insulated drop box and jerrycan mould will be fitted at the facility to make multi-layer parts.

The centre, which was previously named the NOVA Chemicals Technical Centre (NCTC), will, on completion of the expansion works, collaborate with customers to develop high-value products and applications.

Besides the injection moulding unit, NOVA Chemicals has also invested in a range of caps, closure equipment, and lab upgrades, as part of the centre’s efforts to increase customer satisfaction through collaborative product and application development.

Nova Chemicals’ investments in rotational moulding equipment and upgrades are targeted at enabling the company and its customers to bring better-designed and better-performing products to market quicker.

JEB Technologies, with over five decades of experience since its establishment in 1972, specialises in designing, developing and manufacturing a diverse range of medical and industrial products. They offer an end-to-end product development and manufacturing service, contributing their expertise from concept to commercialisation. JEB collaborates with medical professionals, innovators and consultants to bring innovative medical ideas to life. JEB Technologies portfolio consists of recently launched prostate biopsy device Camprobe, Transicap and exciting further products currently in development.

NOVA Chemicals’ polyethylene (PE) resins business launched expansion works for its Centre for Performance Applications in August and is expected to be completed by spring 2015.

Sean Licence, vice president of operations added: “Developing cutting-edge medical devices involves complex engineering challenges, regulatory requirements and market demands. By uniting Medovate's clinician-inspired model with JEB Technologies' worldwide manufacturing and design proficiency, we will drive innovation and strengthen our offering to both the medical technology industry and healthcare providers.”