Precision in Color for PEEK & COC — Supporting Next-Generation Drug Delivery Devices
My name is Bob Kaminski, and I’m the Director of Market Development at Penn Color. Developing new products for high-temperature polymers requires more than color expertise—it takes the ability to balance appearance, performance, and compliance all at once.
I was approached by a customer in the final stages of developing an innovative drug delivery system. The device featured an applicator with several moving parts made from engineered polymers, including PEEK and COC. A critical function of this applicator was to deliver consistent pressure through a spring-release mechanism—one that remained preloaded during storage and self-administration. Because of that, the customer had very stringent requirements around long-term strength retention and resistance to creep under mechanical stress.
By the time the customer reached out to me, they had already validated the design using neat resins. The next step—adding color—introduced a new level of complexity. It had to be done without sacrificing any of the performance characteristics already proven. The expectations were clear: the colors needed to remain highly stable over time, meet strict medical device regulations, and be completely neutral to the mechanical integrity of the parts. In short, there was no room for compromise.
To meet this challenge, our team at Penn Color developed pre-colored compounds specifically designed to maintain both performance and compliance. We carefully selected pigments and additives, formulated with the customer’s own resins, and ran in-house analytical and physical property testing to confirm both functionality and regulatory compliance. We also validated raw material availability to ensure long-term supply stability. It was a significant R&D effort, involving multiple design iterations in close collaboration with the customer. Once the formulations met all appearance, performance, and compliance criteria, we quickly moved into small-batch production to support the customer’s trials, with hands-on technical support from our engineers throughout the process.
About 18 months after their initial outreach, the customer successfully rolled out their proof of concept and secured new investment to scale their business!
This project is a great example of how Penn Color helps customers push the boundaries of what’s possible with high-performance polymers. Beyond solving a complex technical problem, it reflects our ability to develop color solutions that maintain—and even enhance—the performance of engineered resins, all while navigating complex and evolving regulatory requirements. It also shows our willingness to align R&D investment and timelines with our customers’ innovation goals to help bring breakthrough products to market.
