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Blisters
Considering Green Options for Blisters Cutting costs, reducing materials, and developing greener packages are concerns for Pharma, according to suppliers, New "greener" blister packaging options are offering solutions,
By Marte Redding Freelance Writer
S'IH~~ packaging a dlllg ill a bli~ter rather Ih;\I1 a hOIlIr. coule!
lx' $CCIl ali the compkll' 0PP04 'ile of packagiTl!{ rc:dUCllOIl, and hlhlc:r tI.sl~ is up, SOIll!.' ill\:
wonderillg whether III(' Phamm induslJ)' will r01l5irlcr 'grc(·nr.r' blL"\h'l' package,,,.
'1 think [ltm the Phanna indmtry ha 'l IMWlI plimalily com:t!l1'u:d wilh saft~ly lip Iu Ihi" poilll: hut 1lI1\\' lllt:y'r~ s lanill~ 10
look murt: d Oiicly al .sllslainaIJilily/' says RicllJames, director ol' Il mt'kclinS1 Sclpa Pm'knging Soilitions.
f:rc('nrT options Illay not hr the primary drivrr, how('n~l'. ~ 'I wouldn't ~'\y 'green 1 will hecome it prioritr for the phanna llldustl)r, (:specially 111 rcgtl rds to lJli:Slt'I' packahrln!{," sily~ Dirk (!or~It:II, Illallagillg din::t.:lor, lJllltllilll1l Packaging f-iY'fl lfIl1S. Cor~lc.n points Ollllhr lilt'l Ihal
hlister packaging iJii slich <:1 :;:mall per
centage of the total amount of packag· illM: produn~d in Iltt: Ullitt:d SLalt'$ and sud. a minute amounL of Ihe t.:(lUlIlry':i
o\'crall wmLC.
"Harrier pmpcnics arc sliII Ihe most ilnl)()nam consiclrlilliolls," &'\)~ COI"SfCIl.
"Prn' c~cl ing iJlt~ pn)(hl(" ami ilH'I ~.a:.;ing iL;;
shclflifc arc the rca;;ons lor u~ing a hli "'tcl',
2.
:110 harrie.r pmpclljes will n~mJin the IllcY..1
important conccm, in Illy opinion." Duu!{ Von'is, \ ';l'e pn.'sicil-m, Perien
CU1 1Vt' ll ill!{ I ,I.C, i1gn.:n:, "I'hanl"l I;'UIII·
pallit.:.') wou ld mlhn ~C) with Ihl' Irinlal1(l·u'llc mat{'rials, than take a riJiik 10 he: 'green'," he says. "Therc arc thc testing anrl n~~II;IUIl'Y ;1~l )( '( : I S lei n)l l, idc'r."
Cor:Heli :my:\ lilitl if a plmnlla (:0111-
p~Ul)' dOCd walll to hI.' m ot\! sust.ullalJlc or ll1:lkt.~ a marketing ~ta\C'I1lC:11\ 1 it would be mosllogicn! to chang<' the bli!:. trr's caltoll, Ill' 1I S<~ :\ more l~co-fi' irl\dly hacking nn a
hli .. Ht' l' farcl. '11u'l't' al'l~ \Vay!. to redesign a hli'itcl' package to makt' SlU'C it i" ca~('r to rc:t'ydc altcr 1I')t' /1 ht" S<1)'':i , whk-It he Itds is the lu ule: phanlla t'ol1lpClnics will IIIOjl likdr titke.
Some: nrc preparing fiw t hr. 'grCt~ n'
movement to hit Pharma, ";It's coming, Ihat'~ for ~l1l'1 .. .,l! says Den Drowc.'!", vice pn:sidt'lit ami :mlt's director, Plmllllawurk~ .. ;' CUlISltHllTS arc t1dillildy lIlf)n~
awarc1 Clnd I'm sure thai being able lO
Ill:lke a 'gH'cn' claim is importallt to all markdcrs right now," Iw says.
Vorc~ i s says lilal Pt~ dt> 1l Itas Ilt~f' n
reccidllg inquiries frolll ('l1:1tOIllCI"$ ac,k-
Blleare's ECOmply bUster package, made with hlodegradable PVC.
inK al)IJul gn't.' II t:r IJlis lt't~J as wdl iI.'i olher s ll~lai llnlJlt.- pilt.'kaging options. " Rl:taikIS
an.' still ciriving the mmnncnl \'ely hard/ ' he say:,. "Bur, in my opinion! the Phanlla il1dustry still I1I~ecls II nrsH ' ffi'( :tiw, n·liablt' ~up(lly of a :illst.aillable lIIalt'rial thai
will HClthrough all the n:gulatol)' IIUnUl'li and be pn:)\'t::n s.') lc ~'! he ~a)'s,
'111<' highel' cost of some W'('CIl CI' mateI'ials, CSJl('cially plnnt-hnscd films wl1('n {'omp:lI'ed \vith lraditi()naJ 111m:;,. hm heen an ohstade, Thi3 may be dlanging, howe\·t.'!'. as mort' c.:osl-dlidellt. '~"t'cn) blistt'r pac.:kaghlg- opliullS bt'c.:UlllC a.\'ailablt'.
BIODEGRADABLE PVC llilcare Rc,..,earch b ofli..~ring· a 'iolu
nOll it claims is not cost prohibith't~, Its ECOll1ply hli'iu'" i:i Iliad,: witlt Maw Ian I p}li.lllll,u.x:utit:al-h'1<HJe PVC, ct)I IIIJiltCtl
with an addilive that will cause 1111..' film to bl'(,:lk dowl1 cOmpkld)' in i\ landfill. Addiliv(~~ clon't t)1)ic:llly infl'('a~(' a Ill a l ('rial '~ ('os\. by a :1ignifkant amount. "Vart of the noality for our CUMOIl1Cl~ was
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Blisters
always wltt,ther or not the CQllSllllll'1' b willing to pay morc lor a slistainablt· pac.:kagl·/~ says JOllll Zlipko, s(.'lIior VP Phanl1a bu:;i lH .. ':)S, BilnlH.' Rt'&'an.:h. HOur goal wa.s 1O nllnc up Wilh ;111 am)ld"I,\I.:, l'(o·rons(.' i{HIS solution, Wllidl is it Iilre CtJllllJillatiOl1
fiJI" thi~ indu511;"~" h~~ ~1.y~ Zripko sa),s ECOmply h the fit>t tntl)' hiodcgmdahlc I'Ve:
film f()}' t11t~ plmnn;I{:I~ lIlkal industry. ~I rl i, IIniqlH' in tt'll1l.'i of the !'.(:it: llo' lwhilld il/' lu: says. ;'I:mlt:r suitable nllldiuolIS, l.he
polYlller Im.'ak.-> dowil tu ba.sic lIluiLx:ulcs, unlike ot11l'l' lypl':i of dcgmdablc ll1alCI;al51hat 0111)' disinlcgnuC' into smaller picccs."
Even though the ECOll1ply blistl..'l' is biodGgl'adablt.', PVC's fllIIl'lional pml ){,11i(~s t.av(~ nol hel,.' !1 1..'11<111.1-,'\'<1. " ECOlliply will look nnd peliorm exactly lhe ~'une m stanoard PVC, whkh L'i \vhy switching to thi.; fihn i ... a ~.ulllc5.S mUlsilion that won't rl'<luirt' makin!{ any eh:tI1hFt.'S lO exi'Sling mctrhilltTy or pa<.:kahril1g lint'';,'' :sa~ " jilh f'\air, ht'cul ufhrioball{&D, I\ilt<tre I{t'st.~an.:h.
Act.:onling 10 thl' slipplit.T, ECOlllply lin:) 1)(;('.11 thoroughly tcslC'd . "II will hreak dowll only IIncier Ihe anac.mhic. ollldi· lions found in landfiUIi or compm tahlc conditions, and not in Mand"rd storage conditions cven at high tcmperatures and t"xlu'llit" humillilY/, says Xair. Tt'sls han: abo (:ollfinlll'd thai
pnxluCl L't HlI<tmiuauouIIY microbial growlh is m>l all i.~lIc.
Since launching gCOlllply, Zripko says lhm Uikarc hm been refcivins' a pos itive rcs.ponsc Ii'om thc induw)" It shipped its first ord~r of r':COmply film to '" ph;mnacc.'urical comp::m)' last Dec. (~ I1lI~ I', and s..'l)'s ii 's likf'ly thal its ru::.lnnwl'$ an~ using III(' matcliallO create the pacbging for its pl'odu\ts now, so thcrc'!<,
GREENER PRODUCTION Pharmaworks has made sure its green Initiatives are part of
production, Like many companies, Pharmaworks's employees recycle
materials, but its green inllialives extend to its production floor as well. "We have programmed our machines to automatically shut down heating systems if the machine has not been running for a specified amount of time. This Simple function saves electricity costs, since the heaters are shut down- but II also alloll's us to run the air conditioning less to remove the heat from the plant floor: explains Ben Brower, vice president and sales director, Pharmaworks. The supplier's Internal programmers have even written new code to control its air conditioning system so It sequences on and off, saving power and working more efficiently.
"Also, being a manufacturer of machinery and parts, we recycle 100% of the scrap metal produced in the machining process," Brower adds, He continues, "We realize that green manufacturing is not only good for the environment but also for our bottom line."
Pharmaworks was recognized last year for lis green Initiatives, and other achievements that benefit Its community, by the Manufacturer's Association of Florida. The company was named "Manufacturer of the Year," for a business up to 60 employees.
pmpncws.c:om • I'h.llnl,\ccul ic.l l S. Mooic,\1 P,\(bging N~Wi rebl u ~ IY 2012
ecoslide-RX" ),I.' " ...
" "'"
Keyslone's "green bllsler package, Eeoslld.·RX, whleh Is also cosl· olllelenl," Ih. eon~)any repo~s.
a challce the), Ill"), appeal' 011 ~torc shcl\'cs soon. "t\'lall )' 1I101\~ Ph:Ulll:l I..'dll lp:lll it.'S all.~ bl'toming illl l' I,(~ I t.x l in
r.on\'t~ving a ~u,lai llahlt~ tnt'"~;;agf'~n !'o1.ys Zripko. ':Some of llw largcs~ h;"l' already approached li S, and we have additional or<il'l'S in plact.',"ltc add:),
Bill-arc alsu :mpplit.,s H P~IPtT-bil~d lJiudl',!,'lcldablt' liddillK, Hilrarr ~OV;I, but ~Iamlanl fClil-bilSt.'d liddillg eml also he IIsed.
COST-EFFICIENT, AND GREEN Kcy~tonc FokUng Uox Co. has addrc~'icd the isslle of aH()l~
abilhy by c1 t~s i,l.,rl1ill~ a ('ost-dlldt'1ll bli sh~r, E(:oslide-RX. fl., IS
a sCllior-Jiit'IllUy blislcr package, with :'111 F-t ralillg for dull) rcsisl<.lIl1.'L', Pn:i!sm!{ a SIII:.ill bUllOIl releases its Cit lock, and lhe push-through blister (.1n:1 slides Ollt ~ whik~ rcmaining connected to the (<1 110n,
" rl '~ ni{"t~ 10 II~ a 'gn~t"n' p:1C'bgc, bllt at Ih~ I' /lrl of tilt' day, if it j" not afTor(hhl~, it's challenging toju. .. Lify 1ht' rxprm('," say!l \Vard Smitll, din'clor ofm;U"kl'ring, Key-stollC Folding llox Co. (/'\l'wark, NJ}, :-:ill1ilh sa)'~ that I .:~:oslidt" was ~pt.'(:i fi<:all)' (h.'~;glll'd 10 Ix: t'OSI c.:flkklil.
AddititJual)uilll<U), pafkllglllg matt' liar!), ~lIdl 'L'5. foil ami film, arc: typicall)' I'r quircd fiw a :wC'ondal)' r.(\110n to l\~main rnnnected to the prim:uy bl~ter when the cartoll h opened. Extl'H m alt:lia l h.lI'llH'('(~"Sal)' fill' Eco:;lid~ls openinK lIlechanism III
work. ;'TtU' I(~~, .. 111111 <Iud fi)i1lhal is lIs~cI iu a blt'iler packag,: lIot Oil}" rc.dw.:cs IIJall'l'ial cost, IJltl also L'mun's it is al)\c 10 run al higll spccds on a production lillc"-and higher SIX'c(h mcan a gJ\'atc.'t' cost-('tnciL-nc),/ ' cxpltlills Smith . . TIH~ clL'sign or \ ':('O~lide-RX (,XC(,l"{li most 5uslninabilily ohjrc.liw!I set by a Jlumiw.(' of organi7..1Iinm, according 10 the (;0111-
pan)'. Il'; calton is 100% l~c)'dahl(', and contains no pla~tk.
MAXIMIZING SPACE AND STRENGTH :Vlaxil llizillg lilt' availahle Spill'C.' 011 a blistCl' card is <11101111;1'
" 'ay '-hm somC': Pharm;1 t:01llpanir~ an"; aeldrr.&>ing suslainahilil)'1 .L'i well as C(Y.)t-cllning, &'1\'S.Jamc~ of & 'Ipa Packaging Solmlons. ~ ;Ol1r cmtOI11CI1:i arc" pa)1ng more aUl'lIlion to how a blistet' is dt:!'ii~'1u:d : mJ(llI)~nM' 10 U~ llIalt'tiar" 1II01l! dl1dt'IIII)" 'rh~~)' an' lII'l.'\i.IIliY.iJl~ Iltt' 1ll1l1l1x:1' of cavilic:; 011 '" bli.~IL'r ill all l :nUlt 10
c1illlinalc ; n\, dead space,\! he S'I}5-. "11K)' arc also IfrillS" to lI~C IIlL' same sizl: bli~lcr 101' multiple products .md pl\1dllCI COUllts."
Jilll1t'~ fi'l'/ :; Ihill tlwse tn'nos will ('onhlltl(" ,mel Seq);'\ iii Im'paring ... ,V(~ Jlt'Nlto lIlakt~ Sl1n~ our madlillt' l), is lip (() ~pt~('( I ,
~tncl read), to hancUc new hlL .. tcr clcF.igm;," he says:.
The Package lBsling Lead r giving JOU mor ...
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27
Blisters
LighHvcighting i~ anmitcl' approach, but is it popular (or st'COl1d:H), blisu:r packaMil1J.{, whl'lI prOdllt:1 prOlCl.' lil.lll i::;
so cr ilirOlLJ Keith Hililey, n .. 'giollal ~alcs Illallngn at Kori)l.Y ?\kclipak, says y..::shut not without adding fiOlllC SU1.lc tural
d(~."ign l :hilll ~t"S, "Tht~n~ is a Irc'nd Imvarcl
minK lilillller malt"lial\ to Iliakt' a IJli"lt"r's
c.:mtoll , but a m orc Cllg ull'!.'IHl COll"aruc
(ion Cll5llrc.s its stt'cllgth/ ' he says. Tht.' carton will 1)1)icaU), conmin inner
partitions Ihat an.~ glucd ill place, Hailey cxplnim. which makfs it mon~ rigirl. "The inner partitions arc designed to keep the product more secure, and <:all
al')o hold lh t" IiICl'Htun: ill plal'c so thill it is easily ac«.:~ilJk.)' Spn:iric lYIXS or carInning marhinrry will fi)ld and gluc thr.<;(' partitiOllS, 50 llaving another company pre-glue is not Ileo;ssar)', he says, One ('xmll(l": i .. Dividdla's Nr.oTop HO I.
REDUCING SIZE, INCREASING PROTECTION
Ahhougllllll' II1'W dt'sirc<lIlIIJIi:)llT rillil
(k\'t:lopcd b)' CSPTl't, .. lmolo~ks lila), not h.w(: henl C"(,<UfO \",'ilh sUMainahililY as its main putpose, it b in line with grcen initiatl\'t .. ..; s il1c(~ it ollhs lilt' protection of a desin:aIlt \\·;thOlil illCn 'R'iillg hlislt!l- size,
accordillg" lo Dall L'.Ecliyt.'I·, VP or saIl'S & 1l1arkcting, CSI) 'l'Cl'llllOlogics,
CSP 'l'l'chnolog i cs '~ Acti\'-Blistc r addl't's~l':i tllOiSIIll'C and nxygt'n (,'otltl'Ol i:;sUt\\ by I't~glliating the :ummplwrr. or l'ach hli'l'tcr cavity, for heltt'!' product PCl'tOl1l1am:c alld shdI'lHi:. "An ahclllativc is to mt' a desic..'(,'atn chip ltl:iidl' it stpilratc well i ll a bli~lr .. , which onl..,t1 n:quirl,,'s having to douhle the: sil;(' orlhr. padaging, in some ca~s. It G Ul also he more difficult to mHnufacttu\.·," says L'f.cuycr. And size lIIallt' I"!': to lilt' t':llviromllelil !'illmllt'l'
LARGER BLISTERS FOR MEDICAL DEVICES
More patients are self-administering medications at home, which suppliers say Is another reason for the Increase In blister use.
"There has been a huge Increase In Ihe popularity 01 pens and other devices used for home injection, and this is creating a
Uhlmann's UPS 51s capable of h8lldfing large formals, such as lormlng deeper blisters for mellical devices.
whole new market for blister packaging," says Kellh Bailey, regional sales manager at Kiirber Medlpak. "Ten years ago you went to the doctor for a shot. Now, you can have a month's worth of Injections shipped to your door, and all of these devices are going Into blisters. " The convenience of sell-injecting drugs will remain Importanl." he says.
Packaging a medical device often requires a blister wilh a deep cavily, which can be produced on a large
20
formal machine, such as MediSeal's CP 500. "The demand for this machine has been continually Increasing," says Bailey.
The Modular UPS 5 Blister Machine, by Uhlmann Packaging Systems, Is another opllon. II has a large format area, perfeclly suited for solid and liquid products, and has a deep forming depth of up to 40 mm.
Ben Brower, vice presidenl and sales director, Pharmaworks, also says there has been an Increase In the number of medical devices packaged In blisters.
'Our machinery needs to be able to handle deeper blisters now, while maintaining speed and efticlency. We are takIng this Into account now. for every new machine we deSign, and make sure they will be able 10 run a deeper blister, elflcienlly," he says.
Different types of films are required to produce a blister with a deeper cavity. 'Medical devices require a deeper blister, making It necessary to use a thicker film,' he explains. ' This is to ensure thai Ule film holds up well when Ills thinned during the thermoforming process." he explains. Perten's Tristar 180 Is a thick high-barrier film designed to protect more-ssnsilive producls.
GSP Technologies's Acllv-Blister regulates the atmosphere of each blister cavity.
paekag'cs require (ewCl" materials, and small t~r shipmt'llb ma), 1'C'd ucc ti'dght ros(s :11\d ruel (:O l1SIIIIIPlioll , ir Inads hc('om~ Iiglut'.l'.
Another henefit of using UlC Acth .. ~mhtl'r~ ra lher II Ian a traditional desiccant ill a l,,'otl1prt'~cd puck or tit blel, is thaI
thnt: 's, lit) rhill1("(' nrtht' 1I ~~r n .lIlf'using it with Ihe mr.clkatinn_ "Tht~ pmtn-tion is adhered to the foil lid, anel it l'i invisihle to lISl'lost say~ L'Ecuyl'l'. ,\nd CSP GUl 1II001iry its I"att' of ahsOIplioll. :'\Yt' n IH l'lIhrlU(;t'l' solutions that an' 'ipn:we lO it
pal1iculal' application," L'Ecuyer says,
BLISTERING TRENDS ()\'t~I',," I1 , bli;;tcl' II St~ if; 1I1l: al'(~t1rding tn
many Mlpplie.r5., Vnl'eic; or Pcrlrll Con\'l'rring is st.'Cing a &1l."O\ ... ,th in blbtCl" tlSC,
And, "whe11 a dnl!.{ b packaj.{l'd in a blis· 11,,'1', iI rqm:3l'lIlS IIIOIl' vahll..' II) the l 'I) II
SIJII 1l'1' Illilll a \·ial," ad(h Railt:), orK()rbt:I' ~-kdipak. "Ami va llic-added packaging is more impol'l am to Pharma companit's now, :-'lllct: dru.~ an: bt~('lIlllinK 1l10rt ~
t'XIK'IISiv(·."
Consh:1l of'Uhltllallll pn.:diclS that 0\'('1"
the IlCSllWO )'cars~ \\ c will sec more phar~
llHlC('u tic<l1 companies using blistt' t' packaging with compliallce ft, at11l·t.'!\~ given reCorm 5tudies, ,.\ VC"n-' hee.n talking ahnul the iX' llcfit .. o f hlisters for Yl'at'S\ in term!; ofpatil'n1 compliance, inu now thai it has bl'l'1I proVt'1I iI will makt' a diflt-n:lll-t·," Corl!i(' 11 says. ;,\Ve will finall y Ix:gill In ~j('C fnrnpli:l lln~ lX"com(' a maj or r..·U'tOI' thal
will influence packaging choices." Anorlll,,'r trend is thc intc.:rl'st in more
flcxiblt: 1t1~t( : hillt'IYI says COJ"s tCIl. ;'!t's bet'JJ a ol1c-sizt~~fiLS-all approach to
machillC'l'Y, A nH\Chine\~ ahilil>, to handle a widc range or applicatio1l51 as well as ('m1011t'I"S that haw the ability TO p(~ lfol1n
illltOIH:liic rhangl'(W~I'S, an>: fi~allm':\ , ' 11:\
(Omen; are requesting," he ~\y~ .•
