A partnership transforms pharmaceutical packaging
Every big change starts with a shared vision. The companies Faller Packaging, Perlen Packaging, Uhlmann Pac-Systeme and ETIMEX Primary Packaging have the goal of making packaging in the pharmaceutical industry more sustainable – without compromising quality and efficiency. An ambitious goal that called for not only technological innovation, but also a new kind of collaboration along the entire value chain. An important element in this change? The introduction of polypropylene (PP) pharmaceutical blister packaging as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional material combinations such as PVC with aluminum.
Increasing Demands Require Innovation
Sustainability is increasingly becoming a must in the pharmaceutical industry. Customers and regulatory authorities demand packaging that is environmentally friendly and recyclable, without compromising high standards when it comes to stability, barrier properties, and processability. At the same time, conventional material combinations, such as PVC with aluminum, are reaching their limits with regard to recyclability.
The four established companies have decided to address the challenge together – and make PP blisters the solution of the future.
Collaboration as a Driver of Innovation
The journey began at ETIMEX, the leading manufacturer of PP blister films. Their innovative materials had already demonstrated that they are recyclable and can satisfy the challenging demands of the pharmaceutical industry at the same time. Perlen Packaging joined the partnership as a driving force and contributed their expertise in the analysis of material properties and marketing for various areas of application.
Together with ETIMEX, they performed comprehensive material tests on an ultramodern Uhlmann blister machine. This machine allowed the team to test and optimize the PP solutions under realistic conditions and confirm their practicability. Faller Packaging closed the loop by developing sustainable outer cardboard packaging that was perfectly suited to the PP blisters. Thus a holistic solution developed over the entire value chain.
A Milestone for the Industry
The results of the collaboration speak for themselves. Initial tests on the Uhlmann blister machine showed that the PP films of ETIMEX do not merely meet the strict requirements of the pharmaceutical industry. Their stability, barrier properties, and processability stand out in every regard. Through the use of PP blister films and the seamless integration of sustainable outer cardboard packaging from Faller, the environmental impact of the packaging line could be reduced. At the same time, the quality that customers as well as regulatory authorities
expect remained on the highest level.
The partnership additionally proved to be a driver of innovation. By each company contributing its expertise, it was not just practical solutions that emerged. The parties involved also defined standards which serve as a basis for further innovation projects and show the industry the
way into a more environmentally friendly future.
Collaborative Innovation: A Model for the Future
The cooperation between Faller Packaging, Perlen Packaging, Uhlmann Pac-Systeme and ETIMEX Primary Packaging shows how much strength lies in collaborative innovation. By combining their expertise and resources, the partners were successful in creating a sustainable packaging solution along the value chain that meets the demands of the industry and guides it into a more environmentally friendly future.
Yet that is only the beginning. The partners see major opportunities in further optimizing PP solutions and establishing them more widely in the market. Their vision remains clear: To transform the pharmaceutical industry sustainably – with solutions that set standards and protect the environment.
