Materials specialist develops catheter liner with superior ultra-thin wall thickness and high tensile strength; offers customized solutions to meet customers’ unmet needs

April 8th, 2025 – Materials specialist, Junkosha, is announcing the latest developments across its Etched PTFE Liner range thanks to continuous advancements in both the core features it provides and service-side options made available to customers. Proprietary processing techniques enable Junkosha Etched PTFE Liners to provide high tensile strength and increased design freedom to catheters in the manufacturing process. In addition, the consistent quality Junkosha brings to its liner solution means it remains stable within and between manufacturing lots, leading to higher manufacturing yields in the catheter assembly process and therefore a reduced total cost of ownership (TCO). These technology-based features are provided alongside service side options including the offer to work with a customer on a customized solution for their specific unmet need.

Junkosha Etched PTFE Liners provide consistent tensile characteristics during necking and can deliver repeatable stretchability during the lamination process, eliminating variability and reducing failures due to inconsistent PTFE liner characteristics. This consistent and repeatable tensile profile results in a thinner and more consistent final wall thickness after lamination across every inch of the PTFE Liner, both within lot and lot to lot. Junkosha’s Etched PTFE Liners incorporate a proprietary etched surface treatment to provide medical device manufacturers with the confidence to successfully bond the catheter layers during processing, even in the most intricate catheter designs and demanding processing conditions. Overall, this cutting-edge liner solution has been designed for the precise delivery and placement of medical devices such as small form catheters within the most intricate of blood vessels.

“As catheter-based devices increase in complexity, Junkosha remains at the forefront of cutting-edge innovation by developing Etched PTFE Liners that incorporates a lubricious inner surface with a low coefficient of friction, therefore helping medical device manufacturers to minimize the risk of snagging during device tracking and deployment,” explains Yohei Washiyama, Junkosha’s PTFE Liner Product Specialist. “Our proprietary processing equipment for manufacturing this product is centred on material consistency, which allows manufacturers to achieve higher yields, and therefore reduced TCO, through consistent product performance characteristics.”

Alongside its core technologies, Junkosha prides itself on offering customers the highest quality service based on its desire to be the best long-term partner. Washiyama continues: “Junkosha is committed to meeting customers’ unmet needs by working side-by-side to deliver a bespoke solution. For example, we can evaluate the quality of our Etched PTFE Liners under conditions similar to their actual usage environment, meaning our customers receive meaningful results based on their exact requirements. In addition, we provide quick turnaround times, are responsive to every customer request and can provide both free and tailored samples, all as part of our commitment to be easy to do business with.”