How to Select the Right Medical Adhesive and Converter

Medical adhesives are the unsung heroes behind wound care dressings, wearable monitors and skin-friendly patches. However, choosing the right adhesive is only part of the equation. Equally critical is selecting a converter that understands the complexities of medical applications, especially when skin contact and patient safety are involved.

At Sur-Seal, we understand that not all converters are created equal. With the acquisition of Kent Manufacturing—an ISO 13485-certified company with a Class 8 clean room and decades of skin contact adhesive experience—we bring a powerful blend of precision, safety and performance to medical device manufacturers seeking adhesive solutions.

Here’s what you should look for when selecting a medical adhesive and why your converter matters as much as your material.

Biocompatibility and Skin-Friendliness

Skin is a complex, living organ, and adhesives that touch it must be effective and gentle. Whether you’re designing wound care dressings or wearable diagnostic patches, the adhesive must:

• Maintain a secure yet non-damaging hold
• Breathe and flex with the skin
• Be hypoallergenic and irritation-free

Choosing the right adhesive—be it hydrocolloid, silicone gel, or acrylic—requires understanding the specific conditions of use. Is it for long-term wear? Will it be exposed to sweat or movement? At Sur-Seal, we make a difference by offering the expertise and certified environments needed to select and convert the right adhesive for medical applications.

Converter Certification and Clean Room Capabilities

Medical devices require high levels of traceability, cleanliness and compliance. Any converter producing medical-grade components must be more than just a materials expert—they must operate under rigorous quality systems.

Sur-Seal, through Kent Manufacturing, brings:

• ISO 13485 Certification: The industry standard for medical device quality management systems
• Class 8 Certified Clean Room: Ensuring particulate control for sensitive adhesive applications
• White Room Assembly: An adjacent area for larger-scale, semi-sterile operations that don’t require full clean room conditions

These controlled environments are critical for meeting FDA regulations, reducing contamination risks and giving OEMs peace of mind.

Precision Manufacturing and Scalable Solutions

A good converter doesn’t just cut materials, they engineer outcomes. At Sur-Seal, we offer:

• Rotary Die-Cutting for Tight Tolerances
• Custom Layering and Lamination
• Prototype-to-Production Support

For wound care manufacturers or medtech developers creating stick-to-skin solutions, this means faster design cycles, fewer production errors and scalable outcomes that support innovation.

What Sets a True Medical Converter Apart?

While many converters serve medical customers, only a few are truly built for it. To deliver real value in this space, medical converters should have:

1. Medical Certifications – Certifications like ISO 13485 are non-negotiable. They demonstrate a commitment to quality, traceability and regulatory compliance—critical for any product that comes into contact with the human body.
2. Controlled Manufacturing Environments – A certified clean room (ideally Class 8 or better) is essential for particulate-sensitive components, while a white room provides a controlled environment for semi-critical processes.
3. Skin Contact Expertise – Medical applications require more than materials knowledge. Converters should offer deep experience with biocompatible adhesives and be able to guide customers through adhesive selection, prototyping and testing for optimal skin performance.

Sur-Seal is proud to offer all three.

Selecting the right medical adhesive is never just about stickiness—it’s about safety, performance and regulatory readiness. That means your converter must be more than a vendor. They should be a certified, compliant and collaborative partner.

With Sur-Seal, you get the materials, capabilities and trustworthiness required to succeed in today’s medical market.

Ready to create better stick-to-skin solutions?

Reach out to us today to learn more about our medical converting capabilities.