Integrated electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, ESCATEC, has established an in-house capability to manufacture plastic components from BPA-free resins, expanding the services it can offer OEM customers in food-and-beverage, medical technology and other applications requiring stringent material controls and traceability.
The new process has been successfully implemented and validated at ESCATEC Mechatronics Sdn. Bhd. (EMM) in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, with mass production of a BPA-free coffee machine for a leading Italian brand. The project required EMM to qualify BPA-free resin suppliers and other vendors, and to establish the controlled injection-moulding processes required to manufacture BPA-free plastic components in-house. This expertise also supports customers responding to evolving regulatory and market requirements concerning BPA and other substances in materials used in sensitive applications.
While the initial application is a premium coffee machine, the project demonstrates ESCATEC's ability to cater to other customers requiring BPA-free plastic components as part of an integrated manufacturing solution. By combining in-house injection moulding with electronics, mechatronics and product assembly, ESCATEC can support customers from component manufacture through to finished-product production under controlled and traceable conditions.
BPA (bisphenol A) is an industrial chemical used in the manufacture of certain plastics and epoxy resins. Concerns over potential human exposure to BPA have resulted in increasing regulatory restrictions and growing demand for BPA-free materials, particularly in applications where materials may come into contact with food, the human body or substances administered to patients.
This is also relevant to the medical technology industry, where polymer materials are widely used in devices and components that may come into direct or indirect contact with patients, pharmaceuticals or biological fluids. For medical device OEMs, the ability to select and manufacture with BPA-free materials can therefore support material-safety strategies, risk management and evolving regulatory and customer requirements. ESCATEC's controlled BPA-free moulding capability provides an additional manufacturing option for customers developing medical products where material selection, traceability and process control are critical.
Developing this new capability required ESCATEC to establish a qualified supply chain for BPA-free resins, strengthen manufacturing controls and introduce dedicated production measures.
A plastic injection-moulding machine at EMM was dedicated exclusively to BPA-free production, while specialised personal protective equipment, strict material handling and traceability procedures, and segregation from conventional production were implemented to minimise the risk of cross-contamination. In addition, regular audits and laboratory testing of products and the production environment at EMM provide ongoing verification of the manufacturing controls.
Charles-Alexandre Albin, CEO of ESCATEC, said the development represents an important expansion of the Group's manufacturing portfolio and the value it can offer customers.
"This investment expands what ESCATEC can deliver in-house. We can now manufacture BPA-free plastic components ourselves from qualified resins under dedicated and controlled conditions. This is particularly relevant for customers in food-and-beverage and medical technology, where material selection, traceability and robust process controls are increasingly important. It strengthens our ability to support customers as material and regulatory requirements continue to evolve," he said.
🎥 Watch how ESCATEC's injection moulding capability works, from custom mould design to integration into finished assemblies:
About ESCATEC
Established in 1984, ESCATEC is a global EMS provider headquartered in Penang, Malaysia, offering end-to-end services from design and development to mass manufacturing and after-sales support across electronics, mechatronics, machining, MOEMS, box build and plastic moulding.
The Group's manufacturing footprint currently comprises four facilities in Malaysia, two in the Czech Republic, one each in the United Kingdom and Bulgaria, and a site for advanced electronics in Switzerland. It also operates a Design & Development (D&D) Centre in Switzerland and has strategic partnerships in Croatia and the United States.
Further enquiries or request for interviews / photos / comments can be directed to Mr. Rajeshpal Singh, Corporate Marketing & Communications Manager, at rajeshpal.singh@escatec.com, Tel: +604 6113 456.
