On any given day, the normal person will encounter hundreds of items that are either wholly or partially made from plastics. However, one of the most important fields that has benefited from the use of plastics is the medical industry. Everything from bionics to prosthetics have been advanced due to the introduction of plastic into their research, and new procedures, such as plastic joint and bone reconstruction surgery, have benefited immensely from new breakthroughs in plastic construction. By 2011, it is estimated that medical plastics industry will be worth over 4 billion dollars.

Currently, RDP Plastics produces the PRO-LITE™ line of plastic spine boards and immobilizers. The main staple of the PRO-LITE™ line is a long spine board (LSB), or backboard as it is more commonly known, which is used to immobilize and transport a patient that is suspected of having a spinal injury. This equipment is widely used by prehospital care providers such as EMT’s and Paramedics and has been featured in several TV shows and movies.

Historically, backboards were constructed from cut wood, but they required constant maintenance to keep them sterile and in service, often times cracking and splintering leaving many openings that could harbor infectious bacteria. With the shift to the PRO-LITE™ plastic spine board, sterilization is no longer an arduous process, the plastic boards have 100% X-ray translucency, and the strength and durability of the plastic can result in a 10 year service life under normal usage and condition.