Copper tipped to replace steel in healthcare equipment

The International Copper Promotion Council (India) has been pressing for copper as replacement for stainless steel in surgical equipment.

"Copper is the only metal which should be used in surgical applications where the chances for equipment attracting infection are more. Use of copper may prevent bacteria from dwelling on equipment and through that entering the body," said Ajit Advani, the ICPCI's newly appointed chief executive officer.

At present, the ICPCI is focusing on the use of copper in air-conditioners, market intelligence systems and business development, structural wiring, green building, and wiring in railway coaches and also on curbing the use of recycled copper in electrical applications.

People being more inclined to the use of high-quality and energy-efficient products is a major trend in the industry now. The scale on which price is measured today is based on quality and benefits.

Hence, consumers do not mind paying a little more for the long-term benefits. Demand for copper is growing at a rate of 8-12 per cent, and a further rise cannot be ruled out.

The prevailing higher prices of copper in the domestic as well as international market may take consumers away from the metal for a while, but those who wish to buy copper-made products cannot switch over for a long time, as copper has no substitute, claimed Advani.

According to BRICS, the Indian economy shows robust growth potential, and it sees "the Indian copper industry emerge in the coming years".

The ICPCI's vision is to increase copper consumption in India to more than 9,00,000 tonne by 2010 by highlighting copper's importance in the context of healthcare, technology and quality of life.

Use of copper plumbing in a good building may cost hardly Rs 1,500 more than the conventional GI piping and plumbing, but it increases life of plumbing "� up to 60 years. So, copper plumbing is cost-effective, said Advani.

Today, concealed piping is of prime importance in the housing construction industry. It is easy to replace the damaged pipes or tubes with copper by identifying only the affected area.

The ICPCI is targeting lower use of wire made of copper scrap. Such wires are damaging. "We are educating consumers by conducting seminars, distributing leaflets etc to wiremen and consumers to avoid using copper wires made of sub-standard copper," Advani said.

The council is striving to find new uses of copper in electrical as well as electronics industries and, thereby, increasing the copper demand for industrial as well as individual purposes.