Owens & Minor Launches New Innovation for the Operating Room

ARMOR-FLEX* Sterilization Wrap, now available in the Halyard® product portfolio, was developed in-house to help prevent sterility breaches that can potentially compromise patient safety and lead to delays in the operating room

Patent-pending ASSURE-DRY* technology and proprietary manufacturing techniques make ARMOR-FLEX* stronger, more flexible and bacteria resistant than traditional sterilization wrap products

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Owens & Minor today announced the launch of ARMOR-FLEX* Sterilization Wrap, the newest addition to its Halyard® product portfolio. Developed in-house and made in America by Owens & Minor, ARMOR-FLEX* is stronger, more flexible and more bacteria-resistant than traditional heavyweight sterilization wraps, helping to deliver greater strength, flexibility and bacterial resistance without adding weight.

Maintaining a sterile operating room environment is critical to infection prevention and patient outcomes, and can be affected by events that happen long before a surgical procedure begins.^1, 2 Surgical instruments must remain sterile from the point of sterilization to the operating table, making the sterile wrap that protects them during transfer a vital barrier against contamination. Although many heavyweight wraps rely on bulk for protection, the additional weight can also make them more difficult to work with, slower to dry and more prone to incidents that may impact sterility. ARMOR-FLEX* takes a different approach, using patent-pending ASSURE-DRY* moisture management technology and proprietary manufacturing techniques to support clinicians while offering better protection for the patient. 

"For Owens & Minor, being a good healthcare partner means developing unique solutions that address the real-world needs of the clinicians and better support their ability to provide patient care," said Dirk Benson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Owens & Minor. "With ARMOR-FLEX*, we've gone further by engineering an innovative product that delivers not just what our customers need, but what they want: a heavyweight sterilization wrap that doesn't compromise on safety, performance or ease of use."

ARMOR-FLEX* builds on nearly 50 years of operating room innovation, starting with the introduction of the first SMS single-use sterilization wrap in 1978. Developed in- house by Owens & Minor using patent-pending technology and manufacturing processes, ARMOR-FLEX* is made in America in Lexington, N.C. To learn more about ARMOR-FLEX* and the Halyard product portfolio, please visit HalyardHealth.com/ARMOR-FLEX*.

On December 31, 2025, Owens & Minor announced a new chapter in its long and storied history: the medical distribution, products and technology services business, formerly referred to as Products & Healthcare Services (P&HS), is now part of the Platinum Equity portfolio. The company continues to operate as a private standalone company under the Owens & Minor name, carrying on the legacy of excellence and service the company has long been known for.

About Owens & Minor
Owens & Minor is a global healthcare solutions company providing essential products, services and technology solutions that support care delivery in leading hospitals, health systems and research centers around the world. For over 140 years, Owens & Minor has delivered comfort and confidence behind the scenes so healthcare stays at the forefront, helping to make each day better for the hospitals, healthcare partners, and communities we serve. Powered by more than 14,000 teammates worldwide, Owens & Minor exists because every day, everywhere, Life Takes Care®.

*Registered Trademark or Trademark of O&M Halyard or its affiliates.

Media contact
Stacy Law
[email protected]

¹ Back to Basics: Sterile Technique. AORN Journal, Volume 105, Issue 5. May 2017. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001209217302193.
² A Day in the Life of a Surgical Instrument: The Cycle of Sterilization. Annals of Surgery Open, February 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11175864/. 

SOURCE Owens & Minor