Hsinchu, Taiwan — While some businesses have been decimated by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, others like General Silicones Co., Ltd. are flourishing.
The specialist silicone products manufacturer reported Aug. 27 that it witnessed an "unprecedented" 65 percent increase in global demand for its medical-grade products in the first six months of 2020.
The company, which also serves the auto, consumer products, electronics and IT industries, said it has invested in new equipment (specifically, LSR injection molding machines) to meet the growth in demand from the medical market, a surge that mainly has come from the U.S. and Europe.
"Obviously, we want to do what we can help, both from the point of view of a business and also to assist doctors and patients all over the world," said Michael Lin, president and CEO of General Silicones. "We've invested in new manufacturing equipment so we can deliver vital supplies where they are most needed even more quickly."
Specifically, General Silicones said the spike in demand has come from customers seeking parts for respiratory assistance equipment, research, work safety and other purposes. Customized silicone parts also are needed for scalpel mats, pin mats, tubing and breathing masks, medical membrane keypads, medical mouse pads, electric knife parts, silicone instrument mats, magnetic (instrument) mats, nebulizer plugs, bacterial petri plates and O-rings.