Plastics in Medical Devices 2012: Chris Kaye

Companies in the medical-devices market need to maintain creativity, innovation and sustainable practices to remain viable, according to Chris Kaye of United States Endoscopy Group Inc. Kaye, vice president of research and technical innovation, spoke about plastics’ role in sustainable medical products at the recent Plastics in Medical Devices 2012 conference in Westlake. "We have to change the way we do business," Kaye said. To do that, he suggests a firm begin by assessing how it functions. Firms need to look at how they handle their suppliers, which materials they are using and how they can improve the processes it uses. Kaye also urged firms to keep their policies transparent. Mentor, Ohio-based US Endoscopy makes tools that go on the end of endoscopes devices that snake through the human body’s existing pathways to peer into and operate in things such as stomachs and intestines. Founded in 1991, US Endoscopy has about 400 employees, most of whom are based in Greater Cleveland. The company uses plastics extensively in its products, according to Kaye. The Plastics News-sponsored conference was held June 11-13.