Healthcare Packaging Fall 2025

Serialization & Traceability Through the Supply Chain

As the demand for refrigerated biologics grows, new technology emerges to ensure drug safety | 26

Addressing Medication Adherence Through Packaging | 12

Improving DSCSA Data Exchange Accuracy | 16 Is a Circular Economy the Most Direct Path to Sustainability? | 18

Shoring Up the Healthcare Packaging Supply Chain is A Lot Like Flying a Plane | 44

Previewing PACK EXPO Las Vegas | 48

See Special Company Profile Section | 55

September 29 - October 1, 2025

Las Vegas Convention Center

Las Vegas, Nevada

Booth N-7630 & N-8222

Automated Line Solutions for Packaging Medical & Pharmaceutical Products

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MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS

12 Addressing Medication Adherence Through Convenient Packaging

Amazon Pharmacy’s PillPack program explores how packaging can improve patient care.

REGULATORY

16 Improving DSCSA Data Exchange Accuracy

During the FDA’s Phased Exemption Periods

A column from the Healthcare Distribution Alliance.

SUSTAINABILITY

18 Is a Circular Economy the Most Direct Path to Sustainability in Healthcare?

Diving into the complexities of sustainability in healthcare packaging.

SERIALIZATION & TRACEABILITY

22 Tracing the Tracks of the Drug and Medical Device Trail

New strategic approaches to serialization and traceability to combat counterfeiting.

26 Digital Solutions Improve Serialization and Cold Chain Management

PCI Pharma Services adopts new technology to ensure drug safety and efficacy during manufacturing.

THOUGHT LEADERS

28 Considering Sterility Across the Packaging Value Chain

A column from the Sterilized Packaging Manufacturers Council.

PROMINENT PEOPLE IN PACKAGING

30 The Requirements of Pharmaceutical Packaging Compliance

Aladin Alkhawam discusses the challenges and intricacies of implementing the Drug Supply Chain Security Act.

MACHINERY

34 Coding Woes for Olly Supplements

How a metering system helped fix inconsistent date coding.

STERILIZATION

38 Understanding Sterilization Standards and Industry Challenges

Diving into the EPA’s standards on medical device sterilization and how to optimize sterilization cycles.

PACKAGE DESIGN

40 Streamlining Prefilled Syringe Use for Adrenal Crisis Patients

Usability and patient-centric design reign in package development.

SUPPLY CHAIN

44 Shoring Up the Healthcare Packaging Supply Chain is A Lot Like Flying a Plane Tariffs could be a hidden opportunity for packaging professionals to re-evaluate and diversify suppliers.

PACK EXPO PREVIEW

48 PACK EXPO Las Vegas Celebrates 30 Years of Innovation

A launch pad for packaging and processing breakthroughs, the biennial event has experienced significant expansion.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

80 Two Labor Retention Solutions for Packagers and Processors

Professionals note the burden of labor retention issues and propose approaches to remedy them.

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

From Plant to Patient Safety Through RFID

Today’s healthcare market demands more than quality—it demands accountability, safety, and transparency. The Traceable Quality System (TQS) helps you deliver all three.

TQS seamlessly integrates RFID technology with high-precision printing and inspection—ensuring every vial is clearly marked, automatically verified, and fully traceable down to the dose. All components (printer, camera, RFID) are centrally synced, so there's no manual setup or operator input.

For your customers, that means safer medication handling, fewer errors, and full compliance. For your brand, it means a future-ready solution that reinforces trust and leadership in pharmaceutical safety.

www.healthcarepackaging.com

Content

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Elisabeth Cuneo ecuneo@pmmimediagroup.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Joseph Derr

DIRECTOR OF CONTENT Kim Overstreet

ART DIRECTOR Norman Smith

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THIS

Remove inserts or samples before recycling.

From Factory to Pharmacy: How Serialization Safeguards the Drug Supply

Serialization in the pharmaceutical space is primarily driven by the regulations aimed at improving drug safety, supply chain security, and combating counterfeit medicines. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) requirements enable end-to-end traceability of drug products from manufacturer to pharmacy. This past May, manufacturers were the first group of trading partners to reach the end of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) phased exemption periods for DSCSA implementation. This was a monumental milestone for the pharmaceutical industry, marking a significant achievement after over a decade of work and investment to implement and ensure further security of the supply chain. You can read more about that in our column from the Healthcare Distribution Alliance on page 16. Serialization also helps ensure that only legitimate products reach patients, preventing the distribution of expired, tampered, or

unauthorized medications. Did you know that counterfeit medications are estimated to make up 10.5% of today’s global medicine supply? That’s according to the World Health Organization (WHO)—more about that on page 22.

Serialized tracking also allows targeted recalls, minimizing patient risk and business disruption. Through these technologies, which you can explore on page 50, come new solutions aimed at ensuring compliance while boosting patient safety. To see these technologies IRL (in real life), I will be perusing the halls of PACK EXPO Las Vegas this fall. I will be on the hunt for new equipment and digital tools to improve pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, packaging, and supply chain efficiency. Will you be at the show? Be sure to say hi!

Liz Cuneo is the Editor-in-Chief of Healthcare Packaging. She may be reached at ecuneo@pmmimediagroup.com.

“We're 11 years down the road and it was really kind of like, well, if we build it, they will come and they'll start using this identification instead of catalog numbers or SKU numbers at the provider and patient level, but they built it and they didn't come.”

—BETH WELLS, GS1 US’ UDI AND MEDICAL DEVICE EXPERT, IN AN INTERVIEW ABOUT GS1 US’ BARCODE ASSESSMENT THAT REVEALED HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AREN’T CONSISTENTLY SCANNING BARCODES AT THE POINT OF CARE.

“There’s a movement of patient care from hospitals to homes, driven by cost reduction and patient preference. But then of course when a patient is recovering at home, they likely need more care than potentially the family members can provide. Smart packaging or connected products can provide that additional care and information.”

—KRISTEN NEWQUIST, CEO OF IDENTIV, ABOUT THE GROWTH OF PATIENT-CENTRIC SOLUTIONS IN THE SMART PACKAGING SECTOR.

75%

THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS that struggle to take their medications as directed.

Source: National Library of Medicine

“Findings show that 74% of hospitals surveyed have sustainability goals. What’s more is that 85% of hospitals are willing to pay more for sustainable options.”

—CLIFF LABBE, DIRECTOR OF PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AT JOHNSON & JOHNSON MEDTECH, AT THE[PACK]OUT CONFERENCE, WHERE HE DISCUSSED FINDINGS FROM A RECENT SURVEY FROM NURSES, SURGEONS, AND PROCUREMENT STAFF IN HOSPITALS.

$2.6 billion

THE PROJECTED SALES in the vaccine packaging market by 2034, from an estimated $1,523.2 million in 2024. Prefilled syringes are anticipated to hold 1/6th of the market share and will continue to grow in the upcoming decade.

Source: Future Market Insights

8.77%

THE ANTICIPATED compound annual growth rate of the global medical laminated tube packaging market between 2024 and 2031. As the need for safe, dependable, and affordable packaging solutions in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries grows, so does the market for medical laminated tube packaging.

Source: MRI Team's Market Research Intellect

80%

THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES at this year’s the[PACK]out conference that answered ‘yes’ to the live poll question, “Are you actively taking steps in your organization to support sustainability issues?”

Source: the[PACK]out

Control. Inspection and foreign object detection systems that offer unparalleled sensitivity for pharmaceutical products to protect

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• CEIA high sensitivity metal detection; ferrous, non-ferrous, stainless steel

• Ishida X-ray for foreign object and product defects

• Ishida precision checkweighing for weight verification

• Powders, capsules, tablets, liquids

Heat and Control® offers a complete line of metal detectors, checkweighers, and X-ray inspection systems for pharmaceutical products from the leading manufacturers, Ishida and CEIA®. Technical support, demonstration, and testing is available in North, Central and South America.

IoT Enabled Packaging Market to

Reach $25.02 Billion By 2030

 The global IoT enabled packaging market is anticipated to reach $25.02 billion by 2030 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.4% during the forecast period, according to a report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing demand for real-time inventory management and anti-theft solutions drives market growth. The rapid expansion of the cold chain logistics sector is driving the market as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology require precise temperature control during transportation and storage to ensure product efficacy. IoT-enabled packaging solutions with temperature and humidity sensors provide real-time monitoring and alerts if storage conditions deviate from the required range.

Study Reveals the U.S. Pharmaceutical Firms with the Most FDA Recalls

MEDIDEX, an AI-powered medical chatbot platform designed to streamline healthcare communication, decided to dig into more than a decade of FDA recall data. The company analyzed every pharmaceutical recall from 2012 through 2024, looking at both how often companies recalled products and how dangerous those recalls were. The study also examined FDA enforcement reports to spot patterns in recall activity. Companies were ranked not just by how many recalls they had, but also by how many fell into the FDA’s most serious ‘Class I’ category, reserved for products that could cause severe health problems or death. The data reveals significant fluctuations in pharmaceutical recall activity over the past 13 years. 2019 stands out as the worst year on record with 2,163 recalls, followed closely by 2015 with 2,052. These peak years represent periods of heightened regulatory scrutiny and quality control failures across the industry. Read the full list on our website.

Community poll:

Considering the evolving landscape of sterilization methods, how important is it to find alternative methods to ethylene oxide (EO)?

55% Critically Important

20% Moderately Important

20% Somewhat Important

5% Not Very Important Answer the latest poll online at the HCP homepage and look for reader polls in our enewsletter.

Global Syringe Filling Machine Market to Reach $644 Million by 2034

 The rise in antimicrobial compounds is aiding exponents to fight infection and retain the safety of devices in the medical device market. Over time, antimicrobial materials and coatings have been progressing, enabling them to be more durable as well as effective. They have developed cultured products to give an industrial touch and feel examples like the antimicrobial integration capabilities into hospital surfaces & medical equipment; such as DuPont, and Microban. This trend is expected to continue in the medical device space, causing a consumption of antimicrobial compounds for wider applications that will ultimately grow the market size and reduce healthcare-associated infections.

THE SYRINGE filling machine market is projected to see robust growth over the next decade, with sales expected to surge from $425.5 million in 2024 to $644 million by 2034, at a CAGR of 4.2%. As pharmaceutical companies increasingly turn to automated, sterile filling solutions for vaccines, biologics, and personalized medicines, the demand for precision-oriented syringe filling machines continues to expand. The syringe filling machine market is witnessing significant demand; one of the primary drivers is the increasing need for prefilled syringes, which are preferred for their convenience, safety, and ease of use, especially in selfadministration of medications like insulin, vaccines, and biologics. Demand is further fueled by the global growth in chronic diseases, as well as the rise in biologics and biosimilar products.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

PACK EXPO Las Vegas (Sept 29-Oct 1) Las Vegas, NV

MD&M Midwest (Oct 21-22) Minneapolis, MN

Pharmapack (Jan 21-22) Paris, France

MD&M South (April 22-23) Charlotte, NC

2025 ISTA Forum (April 7-9) Phoenix, AZ

Interphex (April 21-23) New York, NY

How Moderna Leverages Real-Time Tracking and Thermal Modeling in Its Logistics

A look at new technologies that allow an “Amazon experience” for pharmacists waiting for life sciences shipments.

By Liz Cuneo, Editor in Chief

Moderna wanted to eliminate the blind spots in the supply chain, such as shipment delays or weather impacts, by leveraging advanced thermal modeling.

TAs more data is collected over time, the accuracy and reliability of predictive models improve, further enhancing the efficiency of logistics operations.

he shipping of medicines and vaccines is a critical operation that must withstand high temperatures, shipping delays, and unforeseen issues so that the life sciences products can reach their destination safely. Today, that means leveraging technology to better predict a packaging fail, getting ahead of extreme weather, and ensuring a timely delivery.

Earlier this year at TempPack, part of the ISTA Forum, Jeff Lander, Director, Global Logistics Engineering for Moderna and Paul DellaVilla, Director of Digital Solutions and Services, Cold Chain Technologies (CCT), gave a presentation titled, Leveraging RealTime Tracking, Location Data, and Real-Time Thermal Modeling to Reduce Shipment Risk. They shared the integration of real-time tracking and thermal modeling to enhance pharmaceutical logistics, focusing on proactive risk management and customer experience.

I sat down with them both after the event to dig deeper into these technologies and learn about the tangible benefits that the solution offers.

HCP: Jeff, tell us a bit about the solution: What prompted Moderna to adopt real-time tracking and thermal modeling in its logistics?

Lander: The solution was inspired by the “Amazon Prime experience” where I know where my box is, I know when it’s going to be delivered, and I know how long it’s going to last. We wanted to eliminate the blind spots in the supply chain, such as ship -

Beyond reducing intercept rates and improving customer experience, Moderna has seen a reduction in waste and carbon footprint.

ment delays or weather impacts, by leveraging advanced thermal modeling. This approach allows us to provide a customer-centric experience where both Moderna and its customers can track shipments in real-time and proactively address any potential issues.

As an industry, we do a good job at doing some preventative guidance in terms of modeling different scenarios before a shipment leaves or taking a large data set and doing some retroactive analysis of that larger data set. But the big blind spot in the industry is what happens in between… a shipment leaves, something gets delayed, misses a flight, weather impact, etc. We have that blind spot of, what do we do? Do we intercept it? Do we let it ride? How long will my box last if it gets delayed? And as a result, we were able to leverage advanced thermal modeling by CCT to have better insights into our supply chain.

HCP: How does this technology benefit both Moderna and its customers?

Lander: Each stakeholder in the supply chain receives the appropriate amount of information. We have access to comprehensive data to make informed decisions, while customers receive essential updates without being overwhelmed.

DellaVilla: We wanted to make sure that each part of that group had the right amount of information. The Moderna team has a wider array of information to allow them to make better decisions and get the right information down to their customer. A pharma-

cist doesn’t want to know every single piece of detail of what’s coming, but they need the right amount of information to decide what to do with the boxes when they get there.

HCP: Can you elaborate on the proactive versus reactive approach to shipment risk?

Lander: The feedback that we had from our customers was, ‘how do we know when it’s going to arrive’ and ‘how do I know my product is OK?’ So that’s where we had that customer-centric approach to introduce this real-time active monitoring. Before implementing this technology, we relied on chemical or electronic indicators with a wide tolerance for error. Now, with real-time monitoring, we can assess data dynamically and as a result, we reduced our intercept rate from 1.9% to 0.3%. So, a significant reduction in a number of shipments that needed to be intercepted and that would have been pulled out of the field because we were using strictly a qualified duration in a laboratory as opposed to using the dynamic thermal modeling from CCT, which ingests the thermal model or thermal performance of the box in combination with the ambient weather data to spit out and calculate a predictive time that that box will last.

At TempPack, Jeff Lander, Director, Global Logistics Engineering for Moderna and Paul Della Villa, Director of Diagital Solutions and Services, Cold Chain Technologies, gave a presentation titled, Leveraging Real-Time Tracking, Location Data, and Real-Time Thermal Modeling to Reduce Shipment Risk.

I’ve figured out across the board that pharmacists are focused on getting medicines to patients. They don’t want arduous things that kind of take away from their day to day. So these types of technologies can really start to add value to their day by taking away a lot of the concern. They’re not looking at a data logger, they’re not looking or trying to decipher a chemical indicator. They’re getting an email. Your box arrived, it’s here, it’s ready to use. Here are the instructions for what to do with it. It’s a very clean process from their end.

So, we were using that dynamic model to be able to say, ‘OK, well, our box in a lab is qualified for 36 hours. However, we have a frozen product, it’s the middle of November. That box realistically will last two, three, even sometimes four days longer than the worst-case testing, which is like 95 degrees in the middle of July, or 100 degrees in, you know, in California.’ This proactive approach allows us to optimize shipping lanes and reduce carbon footprint by shifting from air to ground transportation where feasible.

HCP: What advice would you give to companies looking to adopt similar technologies?

DellaVilla: The first step is a willingness to change how things are done. Many companies are hesitant due to a lack of understanding or fear of impacting patient safety. A forward-thinking customer like the team at Moderna, they really gave us the ability to try to integrate some of these newer technologies. As Jeff mentioned, most people are using qualified thermal packaging. What can be done after that though, really requires companies to start to think outside the box with integrating things like realtime modeling where we can identify in real time if or when our box is going to fail.

Lander: I’ve spoken to a lot of different companies about this, and a lot of people have asked me questions on how we approached this and how we got started. I will say that the two common themes that I see from companies hesitant to start is that they are not looking at the total cost of ownership, which is an absolute critical and pivotal part of this. The other piece of it is a lot of companies don’t know where to get started because they try and boil the ocean too fast. Identify your biggest pain one or two pain points and start small, get comfortable with it, and expand from there.

HCP: Have you seen positive customer feedback since implementing these changes?

Lander: We went into this strictly looking at an enhanced customer experience; we weren’t expecting to reduce intercept rate. We weren’t expecting to be able to have, you know, shipment level optimization, looking at next-day air to second-day air to ground point. We knew that those benefits would come inherently. But we have seen a significant reduction in call volume to our call center, over 70%, indicating fewer customer complaints and inquiries. The simplicity of the device, requiring no customer engagement, has been a major factor in improving the customer experience.

WE WENT INTO this strictly looking at an enhanced customer experience; we weren’t expecting to reduce intercept rate.

—Jeff Lander, Director, Global Logistics Engineering, Moderna.

HCP: How does the technology work, and how can it be integrated into existing systems?

DellaVilla: I would say we utilized one or two pieces of novel technology, but the majority of it was the right combination of the technology at the same point.

With Domino’s you can track your pizza from the oven all the way through to shipping; that technology exists in the market. Plus, we all know when our Amazon packages are showing up. So, it’s taking that technology and then pairing it with the overlay of that real-time tracking; finding the right fit of getting the right data through and the right cost level as a part of it.

What we brought to the table, which is I do think that’s something new in the market, is the ability to parlay the logistics information: the tracking information we get from the data logger and then information from weather that we’re getting from diff erent sources in there to predict when the box is going to fail. So, each of those pieces off er, a very unique set of values, but when you pair them all together, the sum of the whole is far more than the sum of the parts in that piece.

HCP: What role does data play in enhancing these logistics solutions?

HCP: There seems to be a boom in refrigerated biologics and pharmaceuticals and some of the more popular auto-injector drugs. Have you seen an uptick in cold chain and refrigeration requirements and did that have any weight in your decision to use this kind of technology?

Lander: Cold chain medicines, especially, have been on significantly on the rise. And I see a huge opportunity, especially going direct to patient. I can tell you right now that’s definitely an underserved or under-watched area going DtP, especially with the boom of the GLP-1s; you’re talking about a huge number of, of volume of shipments. I can see this type of technology being utilized there.

HCP: What is the future of this technology in pharmaceutical logistics?

Lander: There’s a big opportunity here—not by using internal data loggers, but by collecting enough shipment data to build and continually improve a thermal model using machine learning. With enough data, you could achieve high accuracy (within 5%), allowing you to potentially eliminate the need for internal temperature monitors by relying on the model’s predictions.

SCAN TO WATCH THE VIDEO INTERVIEW HERE

Looking ahead, I see the use of external ambient sensors or smart shipping labels that collect environmental data. Since current API weather data lacks shipment-level granularity, these labels could fill the gap. As the model improves over time, a low-cost external label (a few cents or a dollar) could replace expensive internal monitors, making the system more scalable and robust.

In short, a low-cost, external sensor could improve model accuracy enough to eliminate the need for more complex or less reliable internal devices, while also simplifying the user experience.

Lander: Data is at the core of these logistics solutions, enabling companies to make informed decisions and optimize their operations. This data-driven approach allows for continuous improvement, as companies can identify trends, predict potential issues, and implement strategies to mitigate risks. As more data is collected over time, the accuracy and reliability of predictive models improve, further enhancing the efficiency of logistics operations.

Looking to get started? Jeff Lander’s final piece of advice for companies looking to get started on a program like this one is to start small.

“It comes down to starting small and not trying to boil the ocean, because once you start diving into all the details, you end up scaring yourself from getting started. And since you don’t know where to get started, you don’t start at all.”

Addressing Medication Adherence Through Convenient Packaging

Amazon Pharmacy’s new iteration of its PillPack program has some industry professionals deliberating how packaging and delivery technologies can be most effective for patient care.

By Joe Darrah, Contributing Editor

American

Each packet identifies a specific time and day of the week for each medication to ensure proper organization of all meds.

The algorithm that defines the causes of medication non-adherence is complex but easy to decode. Escalating prescription costs. Lack of healthcare literacy. Fear of side effects. Simple forgetfulness. These are just a few of the most common deterrents that affect the willingness and the ability of many patients to follow their prescription regimens.

According to the American Heart Association, it is estimated that more than half of the medications prescribed today for patients who are living with chronic diseases are not taken as directed.

When enrolled in PillPack, customers receive monthly shipments of daily tear-away packets that are personalized and labeled with each medication (and its dosage) that identify a specific time and day of the week (with the calendar date included) for each medication to ensure proper organization of all meds. Photo credit: Amazon

When considering that 66% of all adults in the United States are said to currently have active prescriptions, the resulting estimation is that approximately one-third of all U.S. adults are not correctly and safely medicated. Further complicating matters is that as the overall aging adult population continues to grow, the likelihood that people will be prescribed more drugs for more chronic conditions is also increasing.

“And chronic conditions typically mean there’s a need for multiple medications,” says Hedva Barenholtz Levy, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, director of HbL PharmaConsulting, a private consulting organization in St. Louis, MO. “With multiple chronic conditions, you also likely have multiple physicians involved in the patient’s care. There are times when a patient might have contradictory instructions, or simply just many instructions overall, which can also make things more complicated.”

While there’s no single prescriptive “cure” for one of the more persistent, pervasive issues facing today’s healthcare system, there are strategies for helping patients to become more consistent with obtaining their medications and following their directions through adherence programs that assist in the delivery and sorting of multiple medications. From community pharmacy programs to digital applications, there is estimated to be more than 400 types of pharmacy-based interventions available to address medication adherence by offering services related to the ordering, packaging, and delivery of prescription drugs.

Perhaps most prominently among these options is PillPack, a full-service pharmacy acquired by Amazon Pharmacy in 2018 that combines convenient packaging, advanced technology,

The

Heart Association estimates that more than half of medications prescribed for patients living with chronic diseases are not taken as directed.

When enrolled in PillPack, customers receive monthly shipments of daily tear-away packets that are personalized and labeled with each medication.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

and personalized service to deliver prescriptions. This past fall, Amazon officials announced the launch of a now integrated PillPack feature and the company’s goal of improving adherence among eligible patients by enrolling customers in a program that is designed to process prescription orders, sort and package drugs, and deliver them to patients’ homes more quickly and at reportedly lower costs for a more simplified experience. But there might be more needed to reversing the trend of non-adherence and alleviating the stigma associated with being prescribed daily medications.

“There needs to be a program around adherence that makes delivering medications and the packaging that they’re delivered in to work together,” says Chad Worz, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, chief executive of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP). “It’s not just the packaging that makes something that can be delivered by courier or by mail [more effective for adherence]. That’s just one part of an adherence program.”

Despite the ongoing adherence challenges that are always expected to exist, both Worz and Levy believe there’s potential for the industry to effectively serve patients in this manner with appropriate collaboration and communication.

An Evolution of Adherence Programs

As one who has led his organization for seven years, is board certified in geriatrics, and has worked in the long-term care pharmacy space his entire career, Worz has seen what he describes as a small but evident evolution among adherence programs that is consistent with the overall population shift.

“We’re defi nitely in a period now where we’re rapidly becoming more sophisticated with how we look at drug regimens,” says Worz. “We’re recommending medications based on the setting where patients live as the population ages. People want their independence and to age in place at home. We’ve seen an evolution of shifting pharmacy services to meet that type of demand, which is where the adherence packaging comes from, the delivery services come from, and having a pharmacist involved in reviewing your medications comes from.”

patients and their caregivers are essential for adherence, even with programs like PillPack that are intended to mitigate or eliminate them altogether.

When enrolled in PillPack, customers receive monthly shipments of daily tear-away packets that are personalized and labeled with each medication (and its dosage) that identify a specific time and day of the week (with the calendar date included) for each medication to ensure proper organization

“THERE NEEDS to be a program around adherence that makes delivering medications and the packaging that they’re delivered in to work together.

—Chad Worz, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, chief executive of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.

of all meds. This process is also intended to avoid multiple pill bottles and encourage a routine. The packing service is free with the program and includes a monthly delivery of a pre-sorted roll of medications as well as 24/7 access to a pharmacist.

This last component is especially important, says Levy, who with her consulting service predominately works with older adults in their homes to conduct medication reviews, patient education, and assistance with any existing or potential medication-related problems. Her one-on-one interactions with

“I’m inspired by the simplicity and ease that PillPack provides,” says John Love, vice president of Amazon Pharmacy. “Every day we’re working to make the pharmacy experience more convenient and more affordable for customers.”

PillPack is a full-service pharmacy, acquired by Amazon Pharmacy in 2018, that combines convenient packaging, advanced technology, and personalized service to deliver prescriptions. Photo credit: Amazon

Requirements & Processes for Program Inclusion

While Amazon’s customers have the opportunity to self-enroll in PillPack, program eligibility is dependent on the patient currently being prescribed to at least three medications regularly. Insurance coverage is verified as a part of enrollment in addition to one’s prescriptions. By the nature of requiring three or more medications, Levy suggests that Amazon is targeting a valid cohort but also reaching a particularly vulnerable population. She estimates that most of her patients require medications for approximately four health conditions at any one time. Diabetes and heart failure are commonly among these chronic conditions.

“WE NEEDED personalized care because everyone is different, and so we need vastly different services to meet the needs of the patients we’re in front of. It’s the old adages around healthcare being local, patientcentered, and making sure we have systems that can adapt to each individual. —Worz

”Increasing Confidence with Technology & Safety of Delivery

Delivered in recyclable dispensers that are designed to fit on countertops, in drawers, or on a shelf, PillPack’s packaging is food-safe, free of Bisphenol A, and waterproof to protect product against spills or humidity. Amazon officials also say they’ve established a secure protocol that confirms the correct pills are dispensed by pharmacists into the correct packets at all times. There are no methods to guarantee that products can remain completely safe from unexpected consequences such as accidental damage, theft, or extreme weather conditions. Still, Worz said he is overall comfortable with how delivery services function for those patients who don’t have better options for medication access.

“Whether it’s a mail delivery or a courier delivery, I think we’re at the point where we can have some degree of confidence that meds are stored appropriately until they get to your house,” he says. “But there isn’t any pharmacist who dispenses any medication who has any control over where those meds are in a patient’s house or wherever they may have stored their medications. Storage and handling are as much a concern in the house as it is getting from the pharmacy to the house.”

Worz also believes that the presence of technology has also earned its place in this aspect of patient care. “From a drug packaging

perspective, you don’t have to be technology savvy [to participate in these programs].” That said, he and the ASCP also believe the industry should formulate appropriate reimbursement on the pharmacy side for these types of programs.

“We advocate that people are aging into a category where they need these advanced services at home,” he explains. “And there should be payment mechanisms so that pharmacies can provide these services, such as deliveries, compliance packaging, and periodic medication reviews—all of this should be part of either Medicare reimbursement or reimbursement that comes from an insurance company.”

Addressing Concerns for Comprehensive Care

Although advanced technologies continue to become more comfortably integrated into all aspects of today’s healthcare delivery, both Worz and Levy say that certain precautions need to be emphasized and that there’s no substitute for one-on-one encounters between patients and clinicians.

“We can’t fully automate healthcare,” says Levy. “You need to have the personal interactions. We have to monitor medications —meaning the effectiveness and their side effects. Patients have to be able to take note of how they’re doing. If they have a new symptom or side effect, there could be a medication issue. Only the patient knows day to day how they feel.”

As part of the PillPack program, Amazon officials confirmed that a pharmacist reviews all listed medications for potential drug interaction issues before any delivery is processed, but Levy is still uneasy about the long-term experiences for patients in any program that does not include an in-person relationship. “One would think that eventually there will be changes to medications,” she says. “I’d have concerns if there’s numerous changes with a patient’s medication or dosage. I know that programs are designed to handle this, but it’s still one of my concerns. I believe people should be doing what they are comfortable with, but we all need to have our eyes wide open. Everyone’s situation is diff erent. There are some many iterations of situations that could occur.”

Moving forward, Worz says he anticipates that any adherence program will need to continuously evolve regardless of how many new safeguards are introduced. “Like everything else, if there’s one thing that’s consistent with the older-adult population it’s that there isn’t a lot of consistency,” he says. “We needed personalized care because everyone is different, and so we need vastly different services to meet the needs of the patients we’re in front of. It’s the old adages around healthcare being local, patient-centered, and making sure we have systems that can adapt to each individual.”

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Improving DSCSA Data Exchange Accuracy During the FDA’s Phased Exemption Periods

As the first exemption period has come to an end, the Healthcare Distribution Alliance and its members have seen significant improvements in trading partner serialized transaction data exchange.

By Kala Shankle, VP of Regulatory Affairs, HDA

On May 27, manufacturers were the first group of trading partners to reach the end of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) phased exemption periods [1] for Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) implementation. This was a monumental milestone for the pharmaceutical industry, marking a significant achievement after over a decade of work and investment to implement and ensure further security of the supply chain.

As the first exemption period has come to an end, the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA) and its members, who are longstanding leaders in this space, have seen significant improvements in trading partner serialized transaction data exchange and the accuracy of such data each month. In anticipation of final DSCSA implementation, our organization and members have collected survey information on the industry’s progress. According to our most recent survey, distributor members report receiving over 93% of purchase order lines with accurate data from manufacturers.

While this information is positive, given our unique vantage point at the center of the healthcare supply chain, HDA and our distributor members have identified lingering challenges in improving data accuracy. We also have identified strategies to improve such accuracy as we move toward the distributor exemption deadline on August 27, 2025, and the dispenser exemption deadline on November 27, 2025.

Lingering Challenges and Strategies

While progress has been made, challenges persist for the healthcare supply chain. For example, members report that some data remains incomplete or inaccurate, while some data may not come in from a trading partner at all. In other instances, members report that some trading partners do not

consistently deliver data at or before delivery, which is essential for timely receipt and stocking. When data does come through, some manufacturers are lagging in their responses to data exception reports, and are slow to send corrections, or may not respond at all.

For distributors, technical troubleshooting for inadequate barcodes and label quality remains challenging to resolve, and onboarding new manufacturers can be difficult because it is time consuming and highly technical.

Our members have indicated that the remaining purchase order lines without accurate data exchange may be the most difficult to implement in the remaining exemption periods. HDA recommends several strategies that distributors have employed to improve accuracy of data exchange, including:

• Conducting inventory assessments to identify and troubleshoot persistent issues.

• Implementing “scorecards” for trading partners to track compliance with Advance Ship Notices and Electronic Product Code Information Services data.

For distributors, technical troubleshooting for inadequate bar codes and label quality remains challenging to resolve.

Photo credit: Getty images; Diego Antonio Maravilla Ruano

• Engaging directly with manufacturers to swiftly resolve data exchange and accuracy issues.

Additionally, HDA has published several recent guidelines, including the Manufacturer Data Quality: Best Practice Considerations for DSCSA and the Exceptions Handling Guidelines For The DSCSA. These resources provide information to help trading partners learn best practices to aid in DSCSA implementation.

Reaching the Finish Line

HDA and our members are committed to improving data exchange accuracy and collaborating with the FDA’s leadership to support this final stretch of DSCSA implementation. Additionally, distributors continue to help dispenser trading partners feel prepared to meet their deadline in November of this year by communicating and educating these supply chain stakeholders of their DSCSA obligations.

For example, on June 25, HDA and our member representatives, along with other supply chain stakeholders, participated in the PDG-FDA town hall, where the industry had the opportunity to discuss the progress made toward the end of the wholesale distributor exemption period. HDA also moved its annual Trace -

ability Seminar to August 4-6, 2025, in Washington, D.C., to help ensure participants had time to engage with the information provided at the event ahead of the expiration of the upcoming exemption periods.

Ultimately, improving upon patient safety and supply chain security are the end goals of the DSCSA for the entire supply chain. As the critical link between manufacturers and dispensers, distributors have made significant investments in systems, processes, and partnerships to help ensure compliance with DSCSA requirements. Collectively, trading partners must continue to work through data challenges as the DSCSA goes live to help ensure that accurate and stabilized data exchange becomes the new normal.

[1] These exemptions resulted from the FDA’s October 2024 announcement, which provided the industry with the necessary time to strengthen data exchange processes while maintaining the flow of medicines to patients.

Kala Shankle is the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA). The HDA is the national organization representing healthcare distributors — the vital link between the nation’s pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacies, hospitals and other sites of care nationwide.

Is a Circular Economy the Most Direct Path to Sustainability in Healthcare?

Diving into the complexities of sustainability in healthcare packaging that include circular economy strategies, takeback programs, and addressing Scope 3 emissions.

By Liz Cuneo, Editor in Chief

Under its “Circular for Zero” strategy, Novo Nordisk aims to achieve zero environmental impact through reducing material use, designing with reuse in mind, and transforming waste into new products.

As the healthcare industry seeks various solutions to minimize its environmental impact, many big-name companies are stepping up with ambitious strategies to lead the way. Takeback programs, reusable devices, and reducing material use are all tactics pharma companies are adopting to make a change in their environmental footprint. At Novo Nordisk, Dorethe Nielsen, head of the Corporate Environment Strategy unit, is spearheading the pharmaceutical company’s efforts by overseeing the company’s global environmental footprint.

“Our {team’s} role,” Nielsen explains, “is to set the strategy and targets for everything related to the environment, nature, and climate, and to work toward achieving them.” This responsibility spans Novo Nordisk’s entire value chain, which includes production and product distribution on a global scale.

Embracing Circularity

At Novo, they have already seen significant progress on scope 1 and 2 emissions (those directly controlled by the company), but the biggest challenge remains within scope 3.

Addressing sustainability in healthcare packaging is a multipronged approach, but perhaps the greatest obstacle remains the supply chain. “Our global presence adds complexity to both production and distribution, impacting our environmental footprint,” she says. From raw material sourcing to final product delivery, each stage contributes to the company’s overall emissions, which is why Nielsen points to the supply chain as one of the biggest obstacles.

“ ”

COMPANIES NEED to take responsibility for their products throughout their lifecycle.

—Dorethe

Nielsen, head of the Corporate Environment Strategy unit

One of its circular initiatives is its takeback program for used injector pens in Denmark that allows patients to return used pens to pharmacies. KEY TAKEAWAYS

at Novo Nordisk.

in healthcare packaging is a multi-pronged approach but perhaps the greatest obstacle remains the supply chain.

“ ” ADDRESSING SUSTAINABILITY

—Nielsen.

To address these challenges, the company, like many others, is focusing on circular economy principles. Under its “Circular for Zero” strategy, Nielsen says that Novo aims to achieve zero environmental impact. This approach includes reducing material use, designing with reuse in mind, and transforming waste into new products. “It’s a key enabler for reaching our sustainability goals,” Nielsen affirms.

One of the company’s most tangible circular initiatives is its takeback program for used injector pens in Denmark. Launched as a pilot in 2020, the program allows patients to return used pens to pharmacies when picking up new prescriptions. These

are then sent to a specialized facility where they’re crushed, separated, and processed into clean material fractions. While regulatory quality standards currently prevent the reused materials from being reintroduced into new Novo Nordisk products, the company hopes to close that loop in the future. Right now, the reclaimed materials are being used to create other products outside the healthcare industry. Takeback programs are a great way to recover materials, and so far, the results are promising.

“In Denmark, we have a return rate above 30%, which is significant given the challenge of changing habits,” Nielsen says. Although international uptake has been slower, Novo Nordisk is looking to collaborate with other companies to boost participation. Currently the takeback program is available in seven markets.

Factoring in Emissions

While promising, takeback programs are just one piece of the sustainability puzzle. “Companies need to take responsibility for their products throughout their lifecycle,” Nielsen stresses. This includes exploring reusable product designs and integrating sustainability into every aspect of device and packaging development.

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While sustainability is a big concern for pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk, experts agree that designing for the patient is the main priority. “Adherence and usability are always our top priorities,” she says. But Novo Nordisk is also integrating circular design principles—like using fewer material types, avoiding fossil-based materials, and designing products for longer use.

Another prong of sustainability lies in examining scope 3 emissions, which represent all indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that occur in a company’s value chain but are not directly owned or controlled by the company itself. Basically, it’s the emissions that the company is responsible for but lies outside its control. To examine this, one must examine one’s partners.

Nielsen says that at Novo, they have already seen significant progress on scope 1 and 2 emissions (those directly controlled by the company), but the biggest challenge remains within scope 3—indirect emissions from the supply chain. “These account for 96% of our total emissions,” Nielsen explains.

Reducing scope 3 emissions requires deep collaboration with suppliers. Novo Nordisk is working closely with long-term partners to encourage renewable energy use and prioritize low-emission practices. “For non-critical items, we also choose suppliers based on their CO2 footprint,” she says, balancing production needs with the company’s broader environmental responsibilities.

Choosing suppliers that are in line with a company’s sustainability goals can help companies like Novo Nordisk achieve fewer carbon emissions. In combination with circular economy initiatives and industry collaboration, pharma companies can forge a path to improved sustainability in healthcare.

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Tracing the Tracks of the Drug and Medical Device Trail

As

the threat of counterfeiting continues to torment industry stakeholders and patients, more strategic approaches to serialization and traceability are forming.

By Joe Darrah, Contributing Editor

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Counterfeit medications are estimated to make up 10.5% of today’s global medicine supply.

TOne continuously developing tactic to prevent and detect counterfeits and other types of fraud is the ability to track and trace products through serialization.

he world’s most commonly counterfeited products have become an eclectic who’s who, spanning everything from trendy novelties to life’s truest necessities. Moving higher up this unflattering list today are pharmaceuticals and medical devices. As more patients become more likely to be tricked into making transactions that can be just as unsafe as they are illegal, more members of the global healthcare community are taking notice.

more mail order pharmacies, the need for a trusted supply chain and distribution network is more key than ever.

Counterfeit medications are estimated to make up 10.5% of today’s global medicine supply while approximately 8% of all medical devices currently in use are said to be fraudulent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, at least one in 10 medicines in low- and middle-income countries is said to be substandard or falsified, WHO officials have found. Countries spend an estimated $30.5 billion per year on substandard and falsified medical products, which are often sold online or through informal markets.

As the cost of drugs and devices presumably continue to increase, there doesn’t seem to be any imminent incentive for those who commit fraud to retreat or those who are susceptible to fraud to avoid traps. Despite the presence of robust regulations and education awareness to help prevent fraud, legal assistance to help guide patients who have experienced fraud, and rapid response measures to help mitigate the overall impact of fraud, there’s more work needed to protect patients from these dangers. “It feels like a footrace between staying one step ahead and one step behind,” says

By linking the drug code, filling batch, timestamps, and other relevant data with a CUID, full container traceability is achieved.

Kevin Webb, chief operating officer at API Innovation Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that seeks to, among other initiatives, convene networks of strategic partners throughout industry to bring back the development and the manufacturing of drugs to the United States.

One continuously developing tactic to prevent and detect counterfeits and other types of fraud is the ability to track and trace products through serialization. Various innovative and more sophisticated approaches are becoming more prevalent throughout the industry, including among stakeholders who are forming partnerships and other collaborative efforts.

“To the untrained individual, there’s no awareness that a drug is now counterfeit or is no longer safe to potential contamination,” said Webb. “Traceability takes the willingness of supply chain partners to embrace it and be part of it.”

Curbing Counterfeiting Collaboratively

As the president of BD Medical – Pharmaceutical Systems, one of the largest global medical technology companies that develops innovative technologies, services, and solutions to help advance clinical therapies and processes for patients and providers, Patrick Jeukenne says the conversation about counterfeiting is unending.

“We’re hearing about it every day all over the world, especially with high-end expensive drugs, including oral drugs and injectables,” he said. “Today, we still have a lot of people going to the

With

Photo credit: Andrzej Rostek, getty images

pharmacy, but as we have more people being diagnosed with chronic diseases, people are also more often having their drugs delivered by mail by specialized distributors. If you don’t have contact anymore with a trusted pharmacist, you need to be able to trust your distributor and the postal system.” To help strengthen that sense of trust by facilitating advanced protocols for traceability, Jeukenne and BD have formed a partnership with ten23 health, ® an organization that develops safe injectable treatment options for patients, for a new radio frequency identification (RFID)-based traceability solution that’s being piloted and is expected to improve the fill-and-finish process and distribution of prefillable syringes.

The BD iDFill™ Individual Prefillable Syringe Identification method equips each syringe with an RFID tag that’s encoded with a serial number known as a “container unique identifier” (CUID). Each CUID can be scanned at various stages of the manufacturing process, from filling to secondary packaging or any further assembly. This enables precise tracking without lineof-sight limitations and allows belt scanning at strategic points throughout manufacturing, said Jeukenne.

Customers can decide when and where they want to track their prefilled syringes and the units. By linking the drug code, filling batch, timestamps, and other relevant data with a CUID, full container traceability is achieved, and multiple applications are enabled, including automated reconciliation, mix-up prevention, and investigation management. The system also helps to quickly identify and trace individual units during production and beyond, Jeukenne said. “It’s a novel approach that’s going to provide precise segregation at the unit level and significantly speed up investigation and root-cause analysis,” he said. “It allows full traceability from our production to ten23 operations, and it links each container to critical processes through drug data, enhances transparency, and facilitates immediate, accurate investigations when we’re having quality issues.”

Described as an alternative to manually documenting and reconciling product in batches, the RFID technology has been proven to reduce documentation by 85% during an initial pilot run by ten23 health. “With a scan of the individual unit, it’s basically a singleunit traceability,” said Hans-Christian Mahler, chief executive officer of ten23 health. “It’s really about the consistent use across the manufacturing processes and providing that additional leverage for customers/users from a security and compliance perspective.”

Dressed Up and In Line

As one who has close to 20 years of industry experience, Caylin Cuillier, senior vice president of quality and operations at Western Botanicals, doesn’t see any means of totally escaping the risks

associated with intentional adulteration of drugs and devices today. “We talk a lot about secondary sellers and markets, people who will intentionally purchase bottles and mark them up to portray that they’re actually selling products that they are not selling,” said Cuillier, who manages a staff of 150 employees at the contract manufacturer, which specializes in producing capsules, powders, and liquids for premium dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional products. “There are too many nefarious people and groups out there looking for an edge to economically adulterate materials to try to make their money, as opposed to manufacturing the correct way.”

Among the types of equipment utilized at his plant that have helped to improve traceability measures is the Pharmafill TM (Deitz Company Inc.), a bottomless conveyor designed to sit above laser marking devices, inkjet printers, and other coding systems within a packaging line to print lot codes without disrupting flow. Bottles and containers are placed onto an infeed conveyor, the bottom of which drops away as dual-side belts gently grip the bottles/containers and exposes their bottom portions to a printer. Once printed, the bottles continue downstream for packaging. In conjunction with the recent installation of two new filling and packaging lines to accommodate the company’s rapid growth, the conveyor continues to allow for versatile, high volumes of serialization that have allowed the company to keep up with the evolving mandates and requirements (see sidebar) that govern the space, Cuillier said.

“Regardless of what type of material is being packaged, we use the conveyors alongside inkjet printers to print lot codes, expiration dates, and most recently quick response (QR) codes, as well as other information that allows us to have traceability back to the single-bottle level,” he said. “This also allows us to give consumers information about their lot number and expiration date without having it placed on the label itself, where it

This solution will benefit ten23 health and its customers by ensuring a higher traceability throughout both the manufacturing process and the supply chain. Photo credit: BD

could rub off or become compromised in some other way.” The conveyor also establishes a more permanent solution from a safety and regulatory standpoint. “We rely on these conveyers and printers for every unit that we produce,” said Cuillier. “It provides a much stronger solution that the industry definitely needed as we continue to grow.”

The two newly implemented identical filling and packaging lines at Western Botanicals have been integrated with both the fully automated and semi-automated Pharmafill machinery to meet requirements for speed, reliability, and versatility. The lines begin by feeding empty bottles from a turntable or bottle unscrambler onto the conveyor. The Pharmafill Packserter TM inserts a desiccant and the Pharmafill CS1 cottoner inserts cotton before a second rotary turntable accumulates bottles if needed. After capping and labeling, the bottomless conveyor suspends the bottles over the printer and bottles are discharged downstream after their information has been printed. The Pharmafill NB1 neck bander applies tamper-evident shrink bands and the Pharmafill HT6B heat tunnel seals the bands. At the end of the line, a third rotary turntable accumulates bottles for cartoning. “This all fits in seamlessly so that we can increase our

FDA’s Influence on Serialization and Traceability

STEPS TO ACHIEVE an interoperable and electronic method to identify and trace certain prescription drugs at the package level as they move through the supply chain are outlined by the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) as established by Congress to be managed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The mandates are intended to help prevent harmful drugs from entering the U.S. drug supply chain, detect harmful drugs if they do enter the supply chain, and enable rapid response to remove harmful drugs from the supply chain to protect patients.

“Since the start of my career, we have seen the evolution of federal and state requirements for traceability for several different reasons—to protect consumer safety during recalls all the way down to ensuring that the materials you’re using through the supply chain are globally sourced, safe for use, and is exactly what it’s supposed to be,” said Caylin Cuillier, senior vice president of quality and operations at Western Botanicals. “Traceability is a very strict requirement, and at our facility we utilize it often to ensure that we’re meeting the various regulations and producing good, quality products that are safe for consumers.” An overview of various other mandates from regulatory agencies around the world is available and illustrates the challenges that come along with trying to strengthen supply chain security.

throughput to meet customer demand without needing manual labor for placing stickers on bottles or something else that is removable,” Cuillier explained.

“Having the traceability as a consumer, understanding where products are manufactured from, and being able to identify each lot number can help us to shut down these secondary sellers from online distribution sites. We know that when something leaves our facility there’s tamper-evident sealing, lot coding expiration dating, and QR coding on the bottom of bottles to help ensure consumer safety as well as indicating that the product should not be used if there’s concerns about tampering.”

Next-Generation Product Protections

At Isometric Micro Molding, a NISSHA Medical Technologies Company that’s one of the largest medical-focused micro molders in the United States, the products that are most likely to be serialized are next-generation models that are more expensive and primarily implantables, according to Brent Hahn, senior vice president. “We’re seeing serialization being requested more for next-generation products compared to existing products because customers want to make sure their investments are protected,” he said. “There’s an increase in the conversations for it with innovative new products that are coming to release.”

An organization that works with clients ranging from startups to the largest of medical device and drug-delivery companies, Isometric Micro Molding offers a variety of sterilization options, the most prevalent of which that involve permanent marks on molded components are pad printing and laser etching, says Hahn. “We talk about cost-effective approaches and locations to support the customer’s needs,” he said. “With design for manufacturing, we’re looking at every single input so that we can create a sustainable and scalable solution to support our customers’ initial needs, which are typically lower volume initially. And we are able to scale to hundreds of millions of parts if need be.” Regardless of the product size and type or the methods utilized, Webb said that his organization values the benefits that traceability provides to the industry and patients as well as the potential for its future.

“In a world where there’s drug shortages, inevitably you’re going to have a situation where you’re going to have counterfeit drugs and you’re going to have contaminated drugs that fall outside the control of the supply chain,” he said. “The bad actors are professionals. These are million-dollar industries of fraud and abuse. We as a healthcare community cannot dismiss them as amateurs. It’s incumbent upon us to stay one step ahead.”

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Digital Solutions Improve Serialization and Cold Chain Management

As the demand for refrigerated biologics grows, PCI Pharma Services adopts new technology to ensure drug safety and efficacy during manufacturing.

By Liz Cuneo, Editor in Chief

With biologics comprising over 40% of drugs in development, the need for precise temperature control is key.

IKEY TAKEAWAYS

To accommodate the rise in GLP-1s, PCI has invested heavily in cold chain storage.

n the ever-evolving landscape of pharmaceutical packaging, the rise of refrigerated biologics has presented both challenges and opportunities. As the demand for these temperature-sensitive drugs increases, companies are compelled to adapt their processes to ensure the safety and efficacy of their products, many times adding in the digital tools that are reshaping the industry.

PCI Pharma Services, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), prides itself on being at the forefront of this transformation as Justin Schroeder, Global Vice President, Technical Sales for PCI notes. “As a leading CDMO, we’re kind of the go-to in the industry for launching new medicines, and from a clinical trial perspective, we tend to track with where the market is going in terms of pipeline development.”

As the industry continues to evolve, the integration of digital tools like the Time Out of Refrigeration (TOR) system will help CDMOs and pharmaceutical companies digitally keep track of these sensitive biologics when they are removed from refrigeration.

With the Time Out of Refrigeration system, product is scanned each time it is removed and re-enters refrigeration.

And where the market is going is the distinct rise in biologics. With biologics comprising over 40% of drugs in development, the need for precise temperature control is paramount. These drugs typically require refrigeration at temperatures between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (or even lower) and falling outside that range could affect efficacy and patient safety.

For PCI, its refrigerated needs involve various drug delivery forms including vials, syringes, wearables, and auto-injectors. The company continues to invest to be ahead of industry capacity needs: for example, to accommodate the rise in biologics and GLP- 1 s, PCI has invested heavily in cold chain storage, with more than 25,000 pallet spaces in its network. The logistical complexities of managing such a cold chain are immense.

“Logistically in our operations, which are often multi-step operations, we need to monitor each stage of the process as product comes in and out of refrigerators,” says Schroeder. This involves tracking the cumulative and incremental time products spend out of refrigeration, ensuring that they remain within safe temperature ranges throughout their lifecycles. The financial stakes are high, as these drugs are not only expensive but, in scenarios like clinical trials, may even be irreplaceable.

To address these challenges, PCI is investing in various digital solutions. One such initiative (which is currently approaching deployment) is the Time Out of Refrigeration (TOR) system from Antares Vision Group, which automates the calculation of time a product is out of cold storage. The TOR system is part of Antares Vision’s Cold Chain Monitoring Solution, a cloud-based

Photo credit: PCI Pharma Services

platform engineered to actively monitor temperature, product condition, movement, and handling of temperature-sensitive products across the entire supply chain, from manufacturing through storage and distribution.

With the Time Out of Refrigeration system, product is scanned each time it is removed and re-enters refrigeration. The times are tracked cumulatively for a comprehensive look at how long a product, case, or pallet is out of cold storage. Previously done manually, these digital entries are being adopted to remove even a 1% error rate. Ray Hook, Director of Operational Technology for PCI explains, “We’re really looking at that TOR to get us to a 99.99% accuracy rate, or better. Our ultimate goal is to be 100% accurate.”

The solution ensures product integrity, regulatory compliance, and patient safety by capturing real-time environmental and location data from any IoT-enabled sensor. It also supports product tracking through a variety of technologies, including RFID, barcodes, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and other advanced tracking methods. This system is part of a broader push toward digitalization, which includes the use of electronic batch records and other advanced tracking technologies at PCI facilities.

“Out of the box, the system offers end-to-end capabilities to manage product tracking—from the receipt of raw materials through the distribution of finished goods. It features real-time alerting for time-based excursions or handling issues, as well as the ability to integrate temperature sensors into the process, helping teams respond proactively to potential risks,” says John DiPalo, Chief Strategy Officer for ACSIS, part of Antares Vision Group. “The platform also supports regulatory compliance by maintaining complete audit trails and ensuring data integrity.”

Serialization and the DSCSA

Adopting technologies for cold chain manufacturing is in addition to PCI’s ongoing initiatives in serialization and traceability. PCI’s serialization system (also from Antares Vision), has been in place for over a decade, ensuring that each product is uniquely identifiable, from the bottle or carton level up to the case, then pallet. Hook says this traceability has proven invaluable in investigations and quality control, allowing for precise identification of issues and minimizing product waste. “It’s been eye-opening to see how valuable that is. When there is a complaint, it helps us figure out exactly what happened on the line,” says Hook.

Schroeder says that PCI started aggregating its pallets, cases, and units to keep that tight control well before the company

was required to do so. “We were well out in front of this requirement because of the benefits it provides to us and our clients.”

Looking ahead, PCI is expanding its capacity to meet the growing demand for drug-device combination products, as well as biologics that require refrigeration. With new facilities in Rockford, Illinois, as well as in Ireland set to open in 2026, the company is poised to lead in the assembly of syringes, auto-injectors, and pen assemblies.

“We still do a lot of work in traditional solid oral doses, powders, blisters and bottles… but we see outsized activity growth in the self-injection space, particularly drug-device combination products such as prefilled syringes and those with needle safety devices, assembly of autoinjectors, pens and even on-body wearable devices,” says Schroeder. “This is a very significant investment for PCI, allowing us to stay ahead of market demands.”

As the industry continues to evolve, the integration of digital tools like the Time Out of Refrigeration system will help CDMOs and pharmaceutical companies digitally keep track of these sensitive biologics when they are removed from refrigeration. And reliance upon other tools that allow these companies to serialize and aggregate their products for accurate data and enhanced product safety will likely rise.

“We’re at an exciting frontier of digital applications, whether it’s AI or other tools that help capture and analyze manufacturing and supply chain data to allow more informed decisions about downtime, scrap, or other important aspects along the pharma value chain. Right now, there are ample transformative digital tools coming into play that I think are going to really galvanize this industry,” says Schroeder.

With biologics comprising over 40% of drugs in development, the need for precise temperature control is paramount. Photo credit: PCI Pharma Services

Considering Sterility Across the Packaging Value Chain

A thought leadership column from the Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC).

Aproperly des igned and validated sterilization packaging system ensures the effectiveness of the sterilization process and maintains sterile barrier integrity until it’s opened. This includes the full lifecycle of the packaging system— from raw material selection and material qualification, through forming, sealing, and sterilization, right through to distribution, warehousing, and final use.

When it comes to the storage and handling of both rollstock packaging materials and preformed sterile barrier systems (pSBSs), packaging suppliers typically provide recommendations on temperature and relative humidity ranges, environmental conditions, protective wrapping, and a conditioning period prior to their use by a medical device manufacturer (MDM) or contract packaging facility. Following these recommendations helps optimize the quality of material being introduced into the production environment.

including cryogenic conditions) on the storage and transport of sterile barrier systems.

Each paper in the series offers practical strategies to anticipate, test for, and mitigate potential risks, along with recommended protocols to help maintain packaging integrity throughout transport and storage. These resources aim to foster better collaboration between material suppliers and medical device manufacturers, ensuring that product-specific storage and transit needs are identified and addressed early to minimize risk and protect sterility.

Sterility, however, is not solely the responsibility of the MDM. It’s equally critical for packaging manufacturers and device makers to ask the right questions early and often, proactively identifying potential risks and avoiding failures at every stage of the packaging journey. To support this effort, the Flexible Packaging Association’s (FPA) Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC) has released a free, three-part series of white papers that dive into the storage, transportation, and handling of sterile barrier systems. Two of the papers examine five key risk factors associated with the storage and handling of rollstock packaging materials and pSBSs. These include temperature, humidity, physical environment, protective measures, and time/equilibrium. A third paper provides an in-depth look at environmental conditions and specifically addresses the effects of cold temperatures (< 0 °C,

While small shifts in environmental conditions may not immediately compromise sterility, minor impacts can accumulate and lead to failure. In most cases, sterility maintenance is event-related, rather than time-dependent. That’s why understanding the sterile packaging value chain and where vulnerabilities may lie is critical. From packaging engineers and device manufacturers to healthcare providers, everyone plays a role in safeguarding sterility.

To explore the whole series, visit the Council’s Learning Tools webpage (www.sterilizationpackaging.org) and download the complete set of white papers.

Founded in 1994, the Sterilized Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC) brings together technical experts from member companies to create industry-wide guidance and promote best practices. The SPMC develops standard test methods, answers frequently asked questions, and drafts white papers designed to address common packaging challenges, thereby supporting informed decision-making across the supply chain.

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The Requirements of Pharmaceutical Packaging Compliance

Aladin Alkhawam discusses the challenges and intricacies of implementing the Drug Supply Chain Security Act in the pharmaceutical packaging sector.

By Liz Cuneo, Editor in Chief

In the world of pharmaceutical packaging, the implementation of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) has become a focal point for industry professionals. Aladin Alkhawam, a seasoned expert with a career spanning various roles in pharmaceutical packaging operations, offers a unique perspective on the challenges and intricacies of this regulatory landscape. Alkhawam, who now runs his own consulting service, has dedicated recent years to focusing on the DSCSA regulation, which is set to take full effect soon.

HCP: How did you get into the industry… Did you always know you wanted to work in pharma?

Alkhawam: Interestingly enough, not at all. My focus when I went to college was actually electrical engineering—that’s what I wanted to do. But I met someone who worked at a pharmaceutical company and was leaving his role. I jokingly said I might apply for his job, and he encouraged me to do so. He was in the planning department, and sure enough, I applied and got the job as a planner. From there, I moved into the packaging department—all while still in college and not yet graduated. I really enjoyed the fast-paced environment, working with people, and the operational side of packaging. That led me to switch gears—I completed a two-year associate degree in electrical engineering, then shifted to business management. I’ve been in pharmaceutical and packaging since then, which has been my entire career.

HCP: In early days, did you focus on package development or were you always more on the serialization/ traceability/ regulation side of things?

Alkhawam: I initially started my career in packaging, specifically focusing on operations within the packaging department. While I supported the development of new packaging for products and delivery systems, my primary responsibilities were centered

around packaging operations. This included implementing new packaging lines, overseeing packaging expansions, and ensuring smooth execution of operational projects.

HCP: And now you’re focusing on DSCSA, which is a huge topic with a lot of moving pieces. Maybe you could share a status update of what’s going on there.

Alkhawam: Sure. The DSCSA requirements were signed into law in 2013 by President Obama, giving the pharmaceutical industry about 10 years to implement them. There were a few deadline extensions along the way—one due to COVID, and another because many manufacturers weren’t ready. Implementation was phased: first came serialization, which involves placing a serial number on each product; then aggregation, which creates the parent-child relationship between items like bottles, cases, and pallets; and finally, end-to-end traceability, which involves sending associated data to wholesalers.

As of now, manufacturers had until May 27, 2025 to comply, meaning that all prescription drugs must serialize and aggregate, serialization data sent to customers using EPCIS files with their products. Wholesalers have until August 27 to comply. Dispensers have until November 27, while smaller dispensers with fewer employees have until November 27, 2026. It’s a complex process involving significant systems integration, which is why the industry needed time and resources to fully comply.

HCP: I know there are multiple groups of people, like you said, facing different deadlines and facing different obstacles. But if we focus on the manufacturer, what are some of their obstacles at this point?

Alkhawam: One major challenge is system integration. Multiple systems—used by manufacturers, wholesalers, dispensers, and

other trading partners—must communicate seamlessly. Any failure in these connections can halt the entire process. Establishing and validating electronic connections between all parties is both complex and demanding.

Another challenge is developing standard operating procedures (SOPs). Since this is new for many, SOPs are often being created on the fly as issues arise. Sometimes unforeseen problems require companies to go back to the drawing board and revise procedures.

Additionally, the FDA has granted certain exceptions for manufacturers unable to meet specific requirements. However, these exceptions are complex and must be carefully reviewed to ensure compliance. Communicating these exceptions across all trading partners adds another layer of difficulty for the industry.

Alkhawam, who now runs his own consulting service, has dedicated recent years to focusing on the DSCSA regulation, which is set to take full effect soon.

HCP: I hear a lot about exceptions, and sometimes it seems like it’s due to the size of the company, maybe if they’re smaller, they have a little bit more time. Does it have to do with anything else other than company size?

Alkhawam: It’s not just the company size, it could be systems related. It could be if a product, for example, does not meet the requirement because of a certain circumstances, that may result in drug shortage in the market, that could qualify for exception/ waiver as well. But the important thing is you have to file for that waiver for that exception. You have to file for it, you have to get it approved, and then you have to communicate that with your trading partners.

HCP: Do these manufacturers generally have a staff of people that are as knowledgeable as you on this whole process? Or do they have a team in place to try to figure out how to fully comply?

Alkhawam: Understanding the DSCSA is definitely complex. There are many intricacies involved, and most—if not all— manufacturers, customers, and wholesalers have built dedicated systems and teams to support these requirements.

Companies have invested significant resources to ensure compliance, and for good reason: failure to comply could mean patients don’t receive their necessary medications.

That’s why it’s critical for companies to be properly staffed and structured to handle all aspects of DSCSA compliance. Both manufacturers and their trading partners—whether distributors, customers, or dispensers—must work together to manage these responsibilities effectively.

HCP: Do you have any tips for implementing DSCSA for manufacturers or anyone else along the value chain… any tips to make the process a little smoother?

Alkhawam: Yes, it’s definitely a team effort. This isn’t something one or two people can manage—it requires cross-functional collaboration. IT, manufacturing operations, customer service, quality, and even finance all play a role. Implementing these requirements demands both system integration and significant investment, so financial support is essential. It’s also important to ensure compliance with GS 1 standards. If everyone follows the same standards, it simplifies integration and helps systems work more efficiently together.

Aggregation is another critical aspect—making sure systems are properly integrated and can communicate effectively. Compliance with HDA standards is just as important, particularly regarding label quality, 2D barcode placement, and print clarity. These standards, supported by wholesalers, help ensure that shipments are received and processed smoothly. Accurate validation and thorough testing of these systems are key steps toward maintaining compliance.

Proper aggregation—from unit to shipper and shipper to pallet—greatly improves wholesaler efficiency. Close collaboration with trading partners is essential, whether you’re using 3PLs or your own distribution centers. Before going live, thorough onboarding and end-to-end testing with partners ensure that serialization data is transmitted correctly and that all parties confirm they are receiving what they need.

Training is absolutely critical. In my own experience, our teams were involved from the start—in equipment rollout, FAT testing, installation, and final testing. Everyone from line operators to supervisors participated, and that made a huge difference. When production started, the entire floor was already familiar with the process. This shift represented a major change in pharmaceutical packaging operations, and involving the team from day one was key to a successful transition.

Lastly, don’t underestimate the importance of SOPs and documentation. Procedures must reflect actual work being done and be followed closely. Solid documentation ensures consistency and compliance, and helps teams navigate this complex process effectively.

HCP: So, kind of switching gears away from the DSCSA for a bit. Looking back at your career over the last 20 years or so, what have you seen change the most over that time?

Alkhawam: Well, the DSCSA has been one of the biggest shifts in the industry—serialization alone took over a decade to implement. Putting that aside, I’ve noticed other major changes, even

though I’ve been away from the packaging floor for a few years. I still stay current by attending industry events like PACK EXPO and pharmaceutical manufacturing trade shows and webinars. One of the most significant trends is the rise of automation. The workforce is evolving, and younger generations are less inclined to take on repetitive, manual tasks on packaging lines. As a result, we’re seeing more automation, AI integration, and digital data systems being built directly into packaging machinery. Remote troubleshooting capabilities have become especially valuable—what once required an on-site technician can now often be handled remotely, saving time and resources.

There’s also been a noticeable shift toward patient-centric packaging. Where bulk packaging—like large-count bottles—was once the norm, blister packaging is now gaining traction for its usability and dosing convenience. This trend supports better patient compliance and aligns with broader healthcare goals.

Lastly, environmental responsibility has taken center stage. Sustainable and eco-friendly packaging materials are no longer optional—they’re becoming essential to meet evolving regulatory and consumer expectations. This focus on sustainability is much more prominent now than it was in the past.

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Metering System Solves Date Coding Woes for Olly Containers

To fix inconsistent date coding for Olly supplements, co-man MSI turned to a Morrison CHS metering system for accurate container placement.

By Casey Flanagan, Associate Editor

Facing date coding trouble on a line of supplements for its CM/CP customer Olly, contract manufacturer MSI needed a solution to set the containers at the right place and time.

The contract nutraceutical manufacturer and packager had encountered a challenge of consistently applying date codes to the underside of full and capped Olly plastic containers, according to equipment supplier Morrison Container Handling Solutions. Without reliable spacing and orientation as the containers moved through the date coding process, MSI often had to manually verify proper date code placement.

“The Olly bottles pose a significant challenge being square with round corners,” explains Jeremy Blazek, senior project manager at MSI. “Any drag and coefficient of friction on the conveyor guide rails would cause the bottles to become unstable, creating both illegible and misaligned date codes.”

To alleviate this issue, MSI turned to Morrison to design a metering solution that would improve precision and remove the need for manual code verification.

Metering solution supports both date coding and labeling

Morrison engineered an automated metering system to run 500-, 787-, and 1,000-mL Olly containers accurately over a Keyence date code printer. The system accepts these containers from a backlog before metering them over the printer with a timing screw at a rate of 120 containers per minute.

The single timing screw pushing the containers along, machined from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, provides gentle handling and avoids excess pressure or damage to the bottles. The frame built around it is made with anodized aluminum to ensure durability.

“The timing screw Morrison provided allowed the bottle to transition through the coding area very smoothly with correct metering. This solution greatly enhanced repeatability of coding and reduced re-working bad codes,” says Blazek.

Each of the three sizes of Olly container tested for this system vary in height but have the same footprint. To make any changes needed to run different sizes, “We can either interpolate the screws, where we grow/shrink the diameter of the screws to deal

The date coder is placed directly under the containers along the conveyor, represented by a dead plate in Morrison’s testing.

Photo credit: Morrison CHS

The Olly supplement jars differ in height, but not footprint, between the three sizes on the line. Photo credit: Morrison CHS

with the different sizes of containers that need to run on the line, or we provide our deluxe adjuster,” says Dustin Lee, vice president of sales at Morrison.

Morrison and MSI also worked together to test run the metering system across multiple lines, covering all Olly supplement container sizes, Lee says.

The timing screw meters containers over the printer, which sits beneath the conveyor and applies codes through a slot, then maintains 8.25 inches of spacing as it sends them along. This provides enough clearance to avoid trouble labeling down the line.

“The labeler needs a minimum spacing for the wrap-around label to be applied,” explains Lee. The timing screw both provides that minimum spacing and squares the label for proper application. This saves significant headaches for MSI, as Blazek explains, “In the past we experienced a tremendous amount of rework due to containers not having correct spacing entering the label head. This led to machines jams of bottles that were stuck together due to sharing the same label.”

By stabilizing the container spacing and velocity through the coding section, the Morrison metering system has improved the accuracy of date placement and overall efficiency on MSI’s packaging line, avoiding frequent manual intervention. And with the containers squared away for labeling, MSI can avoid any misalignment or double labeling.

A timing screw squares Olly containers over the date coder before releasing them down the conveyor 8.25 inches apart. Photo credit: Morrison CHS

Understanding Sterilization Standards and Industry Challenges

Diving into the EPA’s standards on medical device sterilization and how to optimize sterilization cycles for reduced material exposure.

By Liz Cuneo, Editor in Chief

With contract sterilization facilities moving toward a 90% recovery value for emissions, the combination of these facility changes and the 600-milligram limit should satisfy the EPA’s Clean Air Act requirements.

TThere are some medical devices that are a uniquely suited for specifically ethylene oxide because of the way they’re made.

he EPA recently announced a concentration limit of 600 milligrams per liter for new medical device sterilization cycles within 10 years. To figure out what that means for the industry, I spoke with Wendy Mach, Packaging & Sterilization Expert at Canyon Labs, a laboratory testing and consulting firm out of Bluffdale, Utah. She discusses the implications of EPA’s sterilization standards, optimization strategies to improve cycles, and the role of ethylene oxide in medical device sterilization.

HCP: I know you said the EPA announcement was good news for the industry because some MDMs were worried that they’d have to get under 400. So, I thought maybe you could elaborate, why the 600 and not the 400?

Mach: The decision to set the limit at 600 milligrams per liter reflects a balance between sterilization efficacy and environmental safety under the Clean Air Act. Many companies are currently validated at concentrations like 640 or 650 milligrams per liter. Reducing it to 400 milligrams would require significant changes, such as altering configurations and increasing aeration times, which involve extensive validation work. In contrast, the 600 limit is achievable by optimizing cycles. The industry’s input in town hall meetings likely influenced this decision.

HCP: Could the industry eventually move to a 400 milligram per liter limit?

Mach: I don’t think so. With contract sterilization facilities moving toward a 90% recovery value for emissions, the combination of these facility changes, and the 600-milligram limit

Oxidative induction time studies aim to reduce redundant package testing by demonstrating that material changes are event-related rather than time-related.

should satisfy the EPA’s Clean Air Act requirements. Hopefully, this could lead to a more harmonized future without needing to lower the limit further.

HCP: What does optimizing sterilization cycles entail, and what are the top three ways companies can achieve this?

Mach: Optimizing your cycle is about adjusting some of the test parameters and specifications, but yet continuing to maintain that desired Sterility Assurance Level (SAL). When you’re optimizing, you want to make sure that you understand where you’re at today, as many operate with excessive overkill. But if you sit back and look at the process, you may find that you do not need, for example, a four-hour cycle and this could be reduced to one or two hours.

Today, there’s a lot more thought process into it. It’s understanding what the bioburden level is on your product. Do you need to have that much of an exposure cycle? And, understanding that gas can cause issues with the materials and damage the materials. So those would be really the top three for me: making sure you understand what your true SAL level needs to be, making sure that you’re minimizing the damage to your product, if at all, and then understanding those residual levels.

HCP: Is ethylene oxide (EO) the best choice for sterilization, or are there viable alternatives?

Mach: The fact of the matter is that there are some medical devices that are a uniquely suited for specifically ethylene

KEY TAKEAWAYS

oxide because of the way it’s made or the design features. However, if there are device geometries and things like that, packaging considerations, there is the option for these different alternative modalities that you can start exploring. We’re seeing alternatives like chlorine dioxide, vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP), and supercritical carbon dioxide emerging. Hospitals are increasingly adopting VHP units, and irradiation methods like ebeam and x-ray are gaining traction. Despite these options, ethylene oxide is still widely applicable for products with complex requirements.

HCP: I had a recent conversation with someone about capacity issues in sterilization facilities, would you say that’s true?

Mach: Yes, capacity is a challenge, especially as the medical device industry grows. The focus on ethylene oxide has highlighted existing capacity issues, but the issues were already there; it’s just more visible now because, unfortunately, some facilities are closing. But the good news is that new ones are being developed, and companies like STERIS are investing in alternative modalities like x-ray and those kinds of processes. So, this focus has caused the main sterilization facilities to start thinking about expanding and bringing other modalities on board rather than just the EO if they had that as their main focus. So, there is expansion capabilities and opportunities that are out there, and they are being explored.

HCP: Does the burden of sterilization and optimization fall more on contract sterilizers or medical device manufacturers (MDMs)?

Mach: It’s a 60/40 split. Contract sterilizers bear the financial burden of complying with EPA regulations, which involves costly

“THERE ARE some medical devices that are a uniquely suited for specifically ethylene oxide sterilization because of the way they’re made.

”

—Wendy Mach, Packaging & Sterilization Expert at Canyon Labs.

facility upgrades. And it’s not a small amount— it’s millions of millions of dollars. Then the 40% falls on the medical device manufacturers because in order for these contracts sterilizers to meet these requirements, not only is it about upgrading the facilities and bringing this equipment up and online, it’s also about reducing these cycles and reducing that amount of gas that the product is seeing, so everything is very much related. But in the end, the burden is really on the contract sterilizers.

HCP: I know you were at the recent Kilmer conference, and one topic that came out of that is oxidative induction time (OIT) and its relevance in the industry, can you share what that is?

Mach: At the conference, which was hosted by AAMI this year, one of the presentations was about OIT around packaging. And the goal is to reduce the amount of package testing that med device companies are doing currently. So right now, we have standards out there that state that you need to do accelerated aging and integrity and strength testing on all of these different configurations. And then if you make a change, you do a risk assessment and likely end up doing more testing. And all these companies are doing the same testing. OIT studies aim to reduce this redundant package testing by demonstrating that material changes are event-related rather than time-related, so the material isn’t breaking down over time but because an event happened, like the package was dropped, for instance. This approach could decrease the need for repetitive testing, freeing engineers to focus on new projects. A significant study is underway to validate this hypothesis, involving regulatory bodies to ensure alignment with industry standards.

Wendy Mach is Sr. Director, Technical Services at Canyon Labs, which offers end-to-end lab testing for medical device compliance.

Streamlining Prefilled Syringe Use for Adrenal Crisis Patients

Julia Anthony, founder and CSO of Solution Medical, emphasizes usability and patient-centric design for the company’s dual chamber prefilled syringe and auto-injector.

By Liz Cuneo, Editor in Chief

SOLUtion Medical offers advancements in providing solutions for adrenal crisis patients.

JThe dual chamber prefilled syringe contains sterile water and powdered medication, reducing the preparation steps from 14 to just two or three.

ulia Anthony is the Founder and CSO of SOLUtion Medical, and earlier this year she spoke in a panel discussion at Interphex titled, Drug Device Combination Products for Subcutaneous Self Administration. Ahead of the event, I met with her about SOLUtion Medical’s advancements in providing solutions for adrenal crisis patients and the challenges the company faced in designing a device that reduces the steps involved in administering lifesaving medicine. A nthony described the development process, how to marry usability and cost, and the importance of moving forward, even amid adversity.

From Patient to Innovator

The industry is increasingly recognizing the importance of working together across drug and device sectors.

As a rare disease patient herself, Anthony knows the stakes firsthand. In adrenal crisis, a patient’s body fails to mount a proper stress response, leading to rapid systemic shutdown and potentially death. “Instead of fight or flight, your body begins to shut down,” she explained. Treatment requires an emergency injection—traditionally involving around 14 steps, including mixing powdered medication with sterile water just before administration.

Determined to change this, Anthony founded SOLUtion Medical with a mission to simplify and improve drug delivery. “We started as a device company and have transitioned into a pharmaceutical and combination product company,” she said. “Our goal is to make lifesaving medication easier and safer to administer.”

Julia Anthony is the Founder & Chief Strategy Officer of SOLUtion Medical

Photo credit: SOLUtion Medical

Introducing TwistJECT™

The result of this innovation is the TwistJECT™ system, which includes both a prefi lled syringe and an auto-injector. These devices reduce the 14-step emergency preparation process to just three steps with the syringe—or two with the auto-injector. At the heart of the system is a dual-chamber prefilled syringe that contains sterile water and powdered medication, safely separated until needed. The design improves usability and portability, offering peace of mind to patients and caregivers alike.

“We wanted to do more than just make administration easier,” Anthony emphasized. “We wanted to design a device that’s easy to carry and builds confidence in those who depend on it daily.”

Anthony’s background bridges healthcare and industrial design. With undergraduate degrees in healthcare and nutrition, she

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later earned a master’s in industrial design with a focus on medical devices. “The classroom was just the beginning,” she noted. “It took years of collaboration and learning from experts to bring this to life.”

Designing for Real-world Needs

One of the biggest challenges in developing TwistJECT™ was identifying a drug delivery system that would work effectively during an adrenal crisis—when patients may suffer from impaired dexterity, vision, and cognition.

“You can be trained, but it’s hard to recall all those steps when someone’s dying in front of you,” she said. That insight guided SOLUtion’s decision to minimize the number of steps while ensuring the devices are easy to operate, regardless of the user’s physical or mental state at the time.

The device’s human-centered design goes beyond emergency use, considering the psychological burden of daily life with a rare disease. “We want patients to feel confident carrying this with them,” said Anthony.

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From syringes to diagnostic kits, Ossid’s packaging solutions are designed to handle the unique challenges of medical product packaging — keeping safety, sterility, and efficiency front and center.

“

HUMAN FACTORS testing is essential. We want to make sure the product is truly usable in the moments when it matters most.

”

—Julia Anthony, founder and CSO of Solution Medical

When SOLUtion Medical began developing TwistJECT™, no suitable device existed on the market. “We conducted a landscape analysis and realized we had to build our own solution,” she said. That included creating a device and developing a fill/finish solution for the drug itself—a challenging dual endeavor.

Anthony attributes much of the company’s progress to cross-sector collaboration. While specific partnerships remain confidential, she emphasized the importance of long-term, mission-driven relationships across the drug and device supply chain. “We don’t look at partnerships as transactions,” she said. “We look to create enduring relationships throughout our supply chain that are mutually beneficial and focused on working together to improve the lives of patients and caregivers.”

Integral to the development process is extensive user testing. SOLUtion works with over 20 global organizations and regularly consults with patients and healthcare professionals. “Human factors testing is essential,” Anthony said. “We want to make sure the product is truly usable in the moments when it matters most.”

Anthony’s journey has been defined by resilience. “You can wait for conditions to be perfect or just create them yourself,” she said. “If you wait too long, you’ll miss out on the opportunity.”

With TwistJECT™ nearing commercialization, SOLUtion Medical stands at the forefront of drug-device innovation, not just for adrenal crisis but with eyes on expanding into other indications. For Anthony, it’s all about empowering patients—with fewer steps, greater confidence, and better outcomes.

Shoring Up the Healthcare Packaging Supply Chain is a Lot Like Flying a Plane

Tariffs could be a hidden opportunity for packaging professionals to re-evaluate and diversify suppliers.

By Cindy H. Dubin, Contributing Editor

It’s the 10% blanket tariff on all imported goods that could theoretically impact healthcare packaging.

LKEY TAKEAWAYS

Just as certain packaging materials will be impacted, so too will the size of the companies making those packaging decisions.

eave it to the pharmaceutical industry to bring a sense of bipartisanship to the U.S. Congress – all in the name of strengthening supply chains and bringing manufacturing of drugs and materials back to the U.S. In March 2024, the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee crossed party lines to prohibit executive agencies like FDA, CDC, and NIH from contracting with or extending loans and grants to a “biotechnology company of concern” headquartered in a foreign adversary’s government.

In February 2025, Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) re-introduced The PILLS Act (Producing Incentives for Long-term Production of Lifesaving Supply of Medicines) to promote the domestic production of generic medicines and shift production away from India and China. This month, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) agreed with President Trump that drug prices are too high and that he would support legislation that matches the president’s goal of lowering those costs; lower drug prices will impact future supply chain decisions.

However, there is less consensus with regard to tariffs and how they may be a tool for safeguarding the healthcare supply chain. An investigation of Section 232 (which imposes tariffs) of the Trade Expansion Act, was launched by the Commerce Department to determine if the pharmaceutical supply chain poses a threat to national security. Premier Inc., a technology-driven healthcare improvement company, wrote in response to a request for comments from the Commerce Department that “the thoughtful and targeted use of tariffs can provide to supply chain resiliency in the long-term, mate-

Experts agree that now is the time to re-evaluate your packaging supply chain, strengthen its resilience, and prepare for the potential impact of tariffs.

rial increases in tariffs on healthcare supplies coupled with rapid implementation timelines can result in unintended consequences that increase costs and shortages in the short-term.”

PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), a multinational professional services network estimates that a 25% tariff would burden the economy with $76 billion in added costs (The Hill). Nick Iacovella, executive vice president, head of public affairs & Communications, Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), a bipartisan organization representing exclusively domestic producers, counters that tariffs would encourage U.S.-based manufacturing of pharmaceutical packaging, thereby reducing long-term risks of supply disruptions and quality concerns related to foreign imports. “Ultimately, those benefits far outweigh potential short-term cost increases,” he says.

In its written response to 232, the CPA’s position is that “the U.S. must pursue a multi-pronged strategy to rebuild a secure and resilient pharmaceutical supply chain. Section 232 trade measures must address the full scope of supply chain fragility, reduce single-source dependency, and support the rebuilding of an integrated U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing base.”

Sterile Packaging Will Be Hardest Hit

Any discussion about pharma manufacturing undoubtedly involves packaging and it is the 10% blanket tariff on all imported goods that could theoretically impact healthcare packaging. Glenn Hunzinger, U.S. health industries leader, PwC, says tariffs may apply to packaging components sourced from countries

EXPERTS AGREE that now is the time to re-evaluate your packaging supply chain, strengthen its resilience, and prepare for the potential impact of tariffs, before it’s too late.

affected by trade measures, regardless of whether the drug itself is tariff exempt. “Sterile injectable packaging components, including vials, stoppers, and syringes, are more at risk due to their stringent compliance standards and limited supplier base. These requirements make them more sensitive to trade disruptions compared to packaging for solid dosage forms,” he says.

Iacovella agrees, “Sterile injectable packaging and other complex pharmaceutical delivery systems are typically at higher risk due to fewer qualified manufacturers and greater dependency on specialized raw materials or components predominantly sourced overseas.”

Premier points out that enteral feeding syringes have no current known manufacturing outside of China, leaving them susceptible to large tariffs. “The sterile injectable market is already prone to shortages for multiple reasons, and tariffs could put additional pressure on those products, especially those manufactured outside the U.S.,” says Mark Hendrickson, director of Supply Chain Policy for Premier Inc.

Opportunity Lies on the Runway

Just as certain packaging materials will be impacted, so too will the size of the companies making those packaging decisions. Brendan McCarthy, CPA, audit partner at Grassi & Co., certified public accountants who serve the life science industry, explains that established companies with commercialized product that know their margins and know their supply chain won’t have as hard a time. “They can typically figure out more easily how to move to other countries or if they even want to do that.”

On the other hand, clinical-stage companies awaiting FDA approval have limited capital to make these critical decisions, he says. “If I was expecting that for every $10 of product sold I will have $2 for packaging, $5 for sales and the remainder for the company,” he describes, “will they now be able to market the new product the same way they expected to initially? Do they have to reevaluate their entire strategy now because of tariffs?” In both scenarios, McCarthy says it is most important to under-

stand the length of your runway to make the best decision before there is a cost of inaction. “Every day you don’t make the decision not to move your supply chain, how much will that cost you? The pain threshold for an established company is different than a clinical company. If you understand that threshold, it will allow you to gather as much information to give yourself the best chance at making the correct decision.”

Understanding that threshold presents a significant opportunity to potentially reshore the supply chain.

“This tariff moment offers clarity and incentive to rebuild domestic manufacturing infrastructure and creates greater certainty around supply, higher quality standards, and more secure access to supplies, enhancing both economic and national security,” says Iacovella.

“In other words, never waste a good crisis,” asserts McCarthy.

Tips for Building a Strong Supply Chain

These objectives can be achieved by considering a few key points:

1. Build inventory buffers, expedite shipments, establish warehousing in key locations, explore FTZs or bonded storage, and negotiate supplier contracts. “Pharma packagers should urgently build strategic stockpiles of critical components to buffer initial supply shocks,” says Iacovella. “Create reserves of essential packaging components to maintain supply continuity during initial tariff implementation.”

2. Diversify suppliers. Consider dual sourcing. “Establish relationships with multiple domestic and trusted allied-country suppliers to avoid single-source vulnerabilities,” says Iacovella. McCarthy adds, “Look for trustworthy companies and those that supply similar packaging product to what you are using now. “Building relationships with multiple sources can minimize disruption once tariffs take effect.”

Photo Credit: Getty Images

3. Know country of origin. Map every packaging component back to its true country of origin; don’t assume it came from where it was purchased. This may also include adapting tariff mitigation strategies like First Sale for Export (a duty reduction program designed to reduce the dutiable value of eligible products imported into the U.S.) or USMCA qualification (compliant goods may be exempt from tariffs).

4. Build flexibility. “Move your supply chain to where it can be more flexible in the future,” says McCarthy. “If you’re an established company and your supply chain is substantially in China, can you begin the process of diversifying to areas like the Philippines, India, or Germany over the coming weeks, months, and years to help reduce volatility of tariffs? You don’t necessarily have to move the entire supply chain, but just moving 10-20% can make you more flexible.”

5. Build a cross-functional team with finance, tax, trade compliance, and supply chain to create a holistic mitigation strategy and communication plan.

6. Implement scenario planning to manage risks. Kyle MacKinnon, senior director, Operational Excellence for Premier Inc. recommends simulating and modeling tariff scenarios to assess risk exposure and to visualize alternative suppliers or sourcing strategies. “In an environment where tariffs are changing quickly, having a digitally enabled supply chain allows leaders in this industry to create ‘what-if’ scenarios and respond with data-driven insights,” he says.

7. Qualify alternative domestic or allied-country suppliers. Packaging professionals are expected to actively engage in reshoring initiatives, drive supplier diversification, and ensure supply chain transparency. This includes identifying domestic or reliable allied-country suppliers, proactively managing supply risks, and advocating internally for strategic shifts toward safer and more secure sources. Hendrickson says companies need to internally evaluate suppliers to make sure they meet the needs of the company, and also follow multiple regulatory and guidance documents.

“The packaging professional’s role is critical in pushing companies toward sustainable long-term sourcing strategies aligned with national security priorities,” says Iacovella. “Proactively

engaging with domestic manufacturers, particularly those ramping up capacity in anticipation of tariff implementation, can secure priority access to essential supplies.”

Industry insiders stress that qualifying new suppliers and, subsequently, new components involves rigorous due diligence, including quality audits, risk assessments, and regulatory compliance checks on the part of the packaging professional. “Confirm that new suppliers adhere strictly to FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and have proven records of reliability,” Iacovella says. “This requires validating materials through compatibility tests, stability studies, and demonstrating regulatory compliance to the FDA.”

Hunzinger adds, “Investing in domestic sourcing and actively participating in or supporting efforts to rebuild U.S.-based production capacity will ensure long-term stability.”

Looking long-term, the experts were asked if paying for packaging supplies that are domestically sourced will offset the cost of tariffs. “We don’t know yet,” answers McCarthy. “This is like trying to build and fly a plane simultaneously. “While there is a lot of capacity for packing materials in China and Europe, there

is not a ton of capacity in the U.S., so the cost of onshoring is rather significant right now.”

Don’t Be Complacent

Also significant is the cost of doing nothing. When the tariff discussion began, companies were scrambling around talking to domestic suppliers and thinking they had to move their supply chains. Then, the dust settled a bit and companies went into a ‘wait-and-see’ mode.

“This is an interesting time for everyone whereby things you didn’t have to think about you are suddenly thinking about,” says McCarthy. “This harkens back to understanding your runway and how long you have to make decisions before they cost you. Some make decisions quickly and there is a risk to that. Those who wait too long may see opportunity pass them by. Continually evaluate the appropriateness of your supply chain, and how robustly it will be able to react to systemic shocks. This should become an annual planning exercise rather than part of a five-year plan.” And, like airline schedules, he says, “The only certainty is uncertainty.”

Cindy H. Dubin is a professional journalist with more than 20 years of bio/pharmaceutical reporting.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas Celebrates 30 Years of Innovation

A

launch pad for packaging and processing breakthroughs, the biennial event has experienced significant expansion and influence.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas, one of North America’s most comprehensive packaging and processing events is celebrating a milestone: 2025 marks 30 years since the show’s debut. Today, PACK EXPO Las Vegas continues to be a global hub for industry innovation and collaboration.

Show producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, has elevated PACK EXPO Las Vegas from a regional trade show to a global industry force—expanding its scale, influence, and relevance across international markets.

This year, the show will span over 1 million net square feet, feature 2,300 exhibitors, and expects to attract 35,000 attendees from more than 40 vertical markets.

“PACK EXPO Las Vegas has always been more than a trade show—it’s where the future of packaging and processing takes shape,” says Jim Pittas, president and CEO, PMMI. “For 30 years, we’ve been proud to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and spotlight the technologies shaping tomorrow’s supply chains. As we look ahead, we remain focused on the forces transforming our industry: automation, AI, sustainability, and workforce development.”

Since its launch in 1995, each show edition has introduced cutting-edge technologies, from the earliest automation solutions to today’s advances in AI, robotics, and sustainable packaging solutions. PACK EXPO Las Vegas has been at the forefront of innovations over the past 30 years, and continues to evolve like the industry it serves. For example:

• In 2015, the show brought a new focus on pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, eventually growing into today’s Healthcare Packaging Pavilion and highlighting the show’s diversification into specialized sectors.

• The growing demand for logistics solutions, driven by the surge in e-commerce and supply chain complexities, led to the introduction of the Logistics Pavilion in 2023.

From targeted events to unforgettable experiences, PACK EXPO Las Vegas brings people together across all levels of the industry. Photo credit: PMMI

EXHIBIT LOCATION/HOURS

Las Vegas Convention Center

Sept 29- Oct 1 Las Vegas, NV

9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Thursday

Attendee registration for PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025 is open at packexpolasvegas.com.

• The Processing Zone, featuring front-of-the-line solutions, and the Processing Innovation Stage, were added to provide everything food and beverage manufacturers need to improve production, all in one place.

• Las Vegas has become a destination where the entire industry converges, thanks to the addition of the Industry Speaks learning stage, where thought leaders from the PACK EXPO Las Vegas Partner Program provide valuable insights and resources to their peers.

• Sustainability Central debuted in 2023 and has evolved into a must-visit show floor destination with educational sessions covering sustainability, one of the most multifaceted challenges the packaging and processing industry faces today. Expert-led sessions will help attendees navigate the complexities of this issue and what it means for their brands.

Also, in 2025, two new guided show floor tours will offer attendees curated experiences. The PACK EXPO Discovery Tours, sponsored by Formic, are ideal for first-time buyers and senior-level decision-makers looking for automation solutions to streamline and optimize various stages of packaging and processing. The PACK EXPO Sustainability Tour, sponsored by Anchor Packaging, is tailored for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand owners seeking eco-conscious solutions.

PMMI will proudly honor the PMMI Member Companies that were part of the inaugural 1995 show and continue to exhibit today by highlighting each company with a special PMMI legacy member exhibitor placard in their booths. Their support has helped shape the legacy of innovation and excellence that defines this industry and the continued growth of PACK EXPO Las Vegas.

Beyond the exhibits, PACK EXPO Las Vegas offers more than 100 free educational sessions on the show floor and eight specialty pavilions covering healthcare, confectionery, containers and materials, processing, logistics, education and workforce development, industry association partners, and reusable packaging. Full list of educational offerings at the various stages and pavilions can be found at www.packexpolasvegas.com.

“As the industry accelerates toward smarter, more sustainable operations, PACK EXPO Las Vegas remains the one place where it all comes together—technology, insight, and community. This year’s show reflects the momentum we’re seeing across the market, with record participation and unmatched opportunities to learn, connect, and grow,” says Laura Thompson, vice president, trade shows, PMMI.

The show is also a prime opportunity to build relationships that drive business growth. From targeted events to unforgettable experiences, the show brings people together across all levels of the industry. Attendees can enjoy a private Cirque du Soleil ® performance of Mystère at PACK gives BACK™, sponsored by Rockwell Automation, supporting the PMMI Foundation. Join the Packaging& Processing Women’s Leadership Network Breakfast—backed by Gold Sponsors ProMach, Inc. and Morrison Container Handling Solutions, plus Plexpack, SMC, Smurfit Westrock, Emerson, BW Packaging, Septimatech, and PMMI Benefactor Sponsor Schneider Electric. This inspiring breakfast is for anyone who seeks to connect with likeminded professionals and supports the advancement of women in the industry. Future leaders in packaging and processing can connect with their peers and other industry trailblazers at the Young Professionals Networking Reception, sponsored by Beckhoff Automation, at the Cove Bar& Arcade. Newcomers also benefit from the First-Time Attendee Lounge, sponsored by ProMach, Inc., a dedicated space offering guidance and networking, ensuring everyone leaves with valuable connections. Additional networking and special events can be found at www.packexpolasvegas.com.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas offers more than 100 free educational sessions on the show floor and eight specialty pavilions. Photo credit: PMMI

Product Focus: Serialization/ Traceability

Smart Syringe Box for Tracking in Clinical Trials

Schreiner MediPharm

Schreiner MediPharm has developed a tech-enabled solution for tracking syringes administered in clinical trials. Providing enhanced monitoring precision, the company’s Smart Syringe Box employs integrated electronics that reliably report trial metrics digitally. The solution can also incorporate a temperature monitoring feature, benefiting the safety and efficacy of trials involving temperature-sensitive biopharmaceuticals. Due to a cardboard layer with easy-to-open perforated compartments, the removal of each syringe from its respective compartment can be precisely captured and timestamped. All data are automatically stored in the Smart Syringe Box and transmitted to a database via NFC, Bluetooth, or smartphone app.

“The Smart Syringe Box addresses the need to monitor and track injectables, since prefilled syringes are often used in clinical trials. The solution features high user friendliness and allows easy syringe removal from the box while simultaneously enabling automated validation of adherence data. Not to mention the option of temperature tracking, which is crucial in case of novel sensitive APIs,” says Uwe Braun, senior business development manager adherence monitoring solutions, Schreiner MediPharm. “Thanks to the integrated electronics combined with analysis software it is now possible to draw valid and reliable conclusions on adherence and drug exposure within drug development of injectables in prefilled syringes.”

Case Packer for Aggregation of Serialized Cartons

ACG

The VERISHIELD CA34 from ACG is a sophisticated semi-automatic case packer designed for efficient verification and aggregation of serialized cartons, with an optional print-and-apply feature for enhanced traceability. It seamlessly automates carton stacking while its advanced integrated camera technology ensures complete serialization and aggregation compliance, improving accuracy and eliminating packing errors. This cost-effective solution delivers high performance and is suitable for carton-based packaging environments where precision and compliance cannot be compromised. “Serialization and traceability are key to protecting product integrity and building trust across the supply chain. With each unit uniquely identified, we gain greater control, improve recall readiness, and reduce the risk of counterfeiting,” says Rahul Sharma, head of sales USA. “Semi-automatic case packers play a crucial role in this process, bridging manual and automated operations while enhancing packaging efficiency and ensuring serialized data is captured accurately. These systems offer real-time visibility, support smarter decisions, and ensure regulatory compliance.”

User-Friendly Temperature Monitoring for Sensitive Supply Chains

Timestrip

Timestrip announces the introduction of new electronic time and temperature indicators, expanding its highly flexible and easy-to-use neo family. The new Timestrip neo DF and Timestrip neo DG offer unique flexibility and ease of use for monitoring sensitive pharmaceuticals, supporting product integrity throughout the supply chain.

The Timestrip neo DF is part of the neo Cold Chain family and is specifically designed for comprehensive temperature monitoring in cold chain applications, while the Timestrip neo DG operates within the Room Temperature range. These compact, single-use indicators are ideal for package-level monitoring, providing clear, instant, irreversible visual alerts of temperature breaches with no need to download and store data reports.

“In today’s complex and demanding supply chains, precise temperature monitoring is absolutely crucial,” says Gabriel McGlynn, chairman of Timestrip UK. “The Timestrip neo range provides a cost-effective, accurate solution that empowers businesses to ensure that their products are not exposed to breaches in expected temperature and maintain their integrity from production to delivery.”

Thermal Imaging-enabled System for Complete Induction Seal Inspection

Yoran imaging

Yoran Imaging introduces the i-PAM induction seal process analytical monitoring system which performs 100%, non-intrusive through-the-cap thermal imaging inspection of all induction seals and provides thorough process insights to reveal the root causes of current or foreseeable adverse issues. The system eliminates such pitfalls through high-speed, thermal imaging-powered inspection combined with real-time, digestible data informing immediate process adjustments. As the system continues inspecting each product, it also recognizes developing trends, indicating the need for interventional measures that prevent small issues from becoming larger ones.

“What we hadn’t initially anticipated is the pivotal role such process health monitoring can play in broader serialization and traceability initiatives,” says Eran Sinbar, co-founder and CEO of Yoran Imaging. “By assigning each product a unique process profile, the induction seal inspection system significantly contributes to a robust traceability framework that extends throughout the supply chain, all the way to the end customer. This capability not only supports authenticity verification but also enhances supply chain resilience by enabling precise identification of where and when anomalies occur.”

Laser-Marked Desiccant Canisters

Cilicant Pvt. Ltd.

Cilicant Pvt. Ltd. announces Laser-Marked Desiccant Canisters, making India one of only four countries in the world with this capability. Laser-marking technology is an approach to product labeling that engraves critical information directly onto the canister surface, without using inks, labels, or adhesives. This results in tamper-evident, contamination-free, and environmentally sustainable packaging components, ideally suited for sensitive sectors like pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and nutraceuticals. One key benefit of this innovation is that the permanent, machine-readable markings improve traceability and supply chain visibility. “This achievement is not just a milestone for Cilicant, but a proud moment for Indian manufacturing,” says Manish Jain, Cilicant’s managing director. “Our laser-marked canisters eliminate the need for consumables, reduce environmental impact, and enhance product traceability—making them a game-changer for safety, compliance, and sustainability.”

Thermal Inkjet Printer for Track and Trace

RNJet

In today’s globalized and highly regulated marketplace, ensuring the authenticity and traceability of products is paramount. RNJet offers robust track and trace solutions including the RNJet 100, which is a compact, affordable thermal inkjet printer optimized for small- to large-scale track and trace applications. With the print height up to 18mm, it supports high-quality printing of barcodes, batch codes, expiration dates, and serialized data on packaging surfaces such as cartons, pouches, bottles and flexible films. Its versatile connectivity options enable easy integration into existing production lines and data systems, providing real-time, accurate product tracking with minimal setup and maintenance requirements.

“In an era where traceability and product authenticity are non-negotiable, RNJet’s industrial inkjet printing solutions empower manufacturers to meet the strictest global serialization standards with confidence. Our technology ensures accurate, high-speed product identification across diverse industries, helping businesses protect their brand integrity and build consumer trust,” says Ali Mansouri, CEO, RNJet Inc.

Light-shielding Label Solution

IL Group

IL Group highlights its proprietary Light Protect Pack—a multifunctional, light-shielding label solution that offers enhanced drug protection and clear content visibility for vials and syringes. Designed to replace conventional amber packaging, IL Group’s Light Protect Pack maintains drug stability by blocking light with wavelengths as low as 380 nanometers (violet) and with (amber) material as low as 500 nanometers, which are also available as part of the lineup. Unlike conventional light-protective solutions, IL Group’s labeling solution can successfully shield light even for applications using clear glass vials, or syringes (both glass and plastic) allowing visual inspection during the reconstitution process while providing long-range light protection. This ensures the stability of light-sensitive pharmaceuticals from packaging to administration, enhancing both product safety and usability.

Digital Adherence Monitoring Application

Keystone Folding Box Co.

Patient-Friendly Oral Dose Packaging

Sanner

In response to valuable market feedback, Sanner has introduced an improved TabTec CR packaging solution, designed to enhance both safety and efficiency for oral solid dose healthcare product manufacturers. The new TabTec CR features a visually appealing, child-resistant design that prioritizes both consumer safety and convenience while creating shelf appeal for brand owners. Its integrated desiccant technology provides product stability, streamlines packaging processes, and improves operational efficiency.

Keystone Folding Box Co. announces a partnership with Med-Con Technologies to enhance it’s child-resistant blister cards by integrating them with Med-Con’s medication adherence prompting and monitoring application. This transforms the packaging into an interactive real-time adherence data solution for clinical trials. The Key-Pak wallet card helps improve patient compliance and simplify medication management. Used across global clinical trials for over a decade, its intuitive, calendar-based design is both patient-friendly and compliant with child-resistant regulations in the U.S. and other markets.

Each Key-Pak blister card includes a unique 2D data matrix barcode, either printed on the clinical label or printed directly on the package. Trial participants use the Med-Con app to scan the barcode, verifying their dose and automatically logging the event to a secure cloud server. This real-time data collection ensures accuracy and improves trial integrity by reducing reliance on self-reporting and manual pill counts.

Dual Lane Conveyors

Deitz Co.

Dual lane Pharmafill CV Series conveyors from Deitz Co. permit empty bottles to be automatically split from a single column into two columns for feeding two, separate tablet counting machines. Devised to double the speed of the tablet counting and filling process, the dual lane conveyors enable contract packagers and pharmaceutical and nutritional product manufacturers to achieve counting rates of up to 3,000 pills per minute with 99.99% accuracy in a tight footprint. This conveyor configuration eliminates tablet counting as a bottleneck hindering high throughputs and allows the entire filling line to operate at its optimum production speed. Designed for sanitary processing and packaging as standard, the dual lane belt conveyors feature stainless steel construction with a food-grade acetal chain belt in a full-access setup that invites complete cleaning without any disassembly.

EXPERIENCE INNOVATION

in packaging for life sciences SEPTEMBER

Break out of the ordinary and discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025. Explore innovative equipment tailored to pharmaceuticals, biologics, nutraceuticals and medical devices. Collaborate with experts and uncover game-changing solutions for scaling operations, protecting your products and answering market demands.

SPECIALIZED MACHINERY and materials for your needs

NEXT-LEVEL TECHNOLOGY from 2,300 exhibitors

VISIONARY INSIGHTS shared in free on-floor sessions

SOLUTIONS & EXPERTISE from industryleading suppliers

VOCs Free Digital Printing System

Platinum Press, Inc.

Platinum Press, Inc. has commenced runs utilizing a digital printing system whose inks are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PFAS, and other carcinogens. Now online at Platinum Press’ recently expanded manufacturing facility, the Durst Tau RSCi Digital Press employs FDA-compliant inks for indirect food and drug contact—all while producing vibrant, seven-color ‘true’ 1200x1200-pixel resolution even at top operating speeds. The Durst digital printing system in place at Platinum Press’ production plant brings value to the company’s customers in the pharma, medical device, and health & beauty sectors. In addition to PFAS and VOCs, the inks also eschew other potentially hazardous chemicals including Bisphenol A (BPA), trimethyl-benzoyl diphenyl-phosphine oxide (TPO), mineral oils, and certain heavy metals.

Dispense Works Inc

CFE Tablet Counter for Solid-Dose Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals NJM

NJM, a ProMach product brand, introduces the CFE tablet counter at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. Integrating NJM’s proven bottle handling and controls with Cremer counting technology, this compact solid-dose counting and filling system is ideal for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturers and contract packers seeking to minimize fill room size and operating costs. Delivering high capacities of up to 200 bottles per minute, the CFE achieves 100% counting accuracy and extreme flexibility at an accessible price point. The CFE can count a wide variety of coated and uncoated tablets, capsules and softgels and can fill round, oval and rectangular bottles made of plastic or glass. Available with three or four counting modules and six discharge channels, the CFE allows manufacturers and packagers to start with three modules and easily add a fourth in the field as production needs grow. Streamline your Produc∶on with a Complete Solu∶on for Automated Assembly From compact benchtop designs to full scale producঞon machines. We have the equipment to fit your needs!

Produc

Made in the USA

PROFILES

This special section of company profiles includes select companies who will be exhibiting at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, September 29 - October 1, 2025. These profiles highlight the companies, the markets they serve, and the packaging equipment, products, and services they offer.

COMPANY INDEX

antares Vision Group

200 Century Parkway, Suite C Mount Laurel, NJ 08054

856.780.3465

sale.us@antaresvision.com

www.antaresvisiongroup.com

Antares Vision Group delivers high-performance inspection systems that ensure product quality, safety, and regulatory compliance across a wide range of pharmaceutical container types and dosage forms. Our solutions for prefilled syringes and liquid vials offer speed, precision, and flexibility, handling both glass and plastic containers while inspecting liquids, gels, emulsions, and powders at rates of up to 400 units per minute.

Advanced vision systems detect particles, cosmetic defects, and closure integrity issues with exceptional accuracy. At the same time, intelligent handling mechanisms reduce the risk of breakage and preserve product integrity, even at high line speeds.

Beyond inspection, we are a global leader in serialization, aggregation, and traceability— trusted by more than 50% of the world’s Top 20 pharmaceutical companies and a growing number of regulatory agencies. Our solutions

help protect product authenticity, support DSCSA compliance, and enhance supply chain resilience.

With our modular DIAMIND platform, physical products are linked to secure digital identities, enabling end-to-end visibility, data-driven decision-making, and seamless control from production to the patient. Real-time monitoring, exception management, and advanced analytics ensure trust, transparency, and efficiency throughout the healthcare supply chain and beyond.

Antares Vision Group is a global provider of integrated inspection, traceability, and data management solutions that enhance product quality, patient safety, and supply chain transparency. Through our Trustparency® approach, we help customers build more connected, intelligent, and sustainable production ecosystems that meet evolving market demands and regulatory expectations.

DIAMIND, our flexible and scalable digital platform, provides real-time visibility by linking physical products to secure digital data, powering compliance, quality assurance, and operational agility across every stage of the supply chain.

We serve a diverse range of industries, including Life Sciences (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and healthcare), Food and Beverage, Cosmetics, Chemicals, and Packaging. With over 1,300 dedicated professionals, 40+ international partners, and a presence in more than 60 countries,

331 Changebridge Road, Pine Brook, NJ 07058

Phone email Website

973-882-0202

connect@bell-mark.com

www.bell-mark.com

In the highly regulated medical device and pharmaceutical packaging sectors, accuracy, traceability, and efficiency are paramount. BellMark has consistently risen to this challenge for over 65 years, delivering cutting-edge printing solutions that empower manufacturers to meet industry demands while optimizing production.

A cornerstone of our offering is the ability to print high-quality, verifiable, and scannable barcodes, essential for UDI and EUMDR compliance. Our systems print barcodes with flawless precision, providing peace of mind that critical information is accurate for patient safety and regulatory adherence.

Key to this capability is our new InteliJet HD 3, a gamechanger for high-speed production. It features an innovative buffering system and integrated web tension control, ensuring smooth material handling and flawless print registration, even on the fastest blister pill packaging lines. Beyond speed and precision, the HD 3 minimizes

downtime with its automated maintenance system. At the push of a button, it automatically purges, wipes, and caps the print heads, freeing up operators and extending print head life.

Our printers offer unmatched flexibility, directly printing on virtually any surface. This eliminates costly pre-printed materials and labels, streamlining your supply chain. Our UV-cured inks provide exceptional durability, resisting smudging and fading - critical for maintaining compliance and product integrity.

Bell-Mark’s commitment to industry-leading reliability and the lowest total cost of ownership is evident in our diverse printing technologies: piezo inkjet, thermal transfer, and thermal inkjet. Our retrofittable solutions offer flexibility to adapt to evolving regulations and market demands. In an industry with no exceptions to quality and compliance, Bell-Mark is your trusted partner for accurate and reliable printing solutions.

For over 65 years, BELL-MARK has been dedicated to developing printing solutions for the medical device and pharmaceutical packaging industries. We understand the crucial importance of accuracy and compliance in these highly regulated sectors. Our mission is to empower these sectors with innovative, reliable and fully compliant printing systems designed to meet the rigorous demands of pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical device production.

We provide not just equipment, but a partnership. Our goal is to enable our clients to achieve operational excellence, streamline their production processes, and ultimately, contribute to improving healthcare outcomes globally. We’re constantly innovating to stay ahead of industry trends, providing the advanced technology and dedicated service that medical and pharmaceutical companies need to thrive in a complex and ever-changing landscape.

CCl healthcare

120 Stockton Street, Hightstown, New Jersey, 08520

Phone email

Website

609.490.3700

CCLHealthcare@cclind.com

www.CCLHealthcare.com

CCL Healthcare stands as a global leader in printed secondary packaging, boasting 38 cGMP compliant facilities worldwide and continuously expanding. Our dedicated team of experts is solely focused on manufacturing innovative pack aging solutions for the pharmaceutical, medical device, biotech, and life science industries.

Smart and Intelligent Packaging: Since pioneering the first RFID label on a commercially available pharmaceutical product in the early 2000s, CCL Healthcare has remained at the forefront of innovative smart packaging solutions. Today, we offer fully integrated hardware and software solutions for IoT, RFID, NFC, and dual frequency packaging.

Clinical Labeling Expertise: Leveraging over two decades of expertise, and operating across various manufacturing sites, CCL Clinical is the premier partner for clinical trial labeling. With a portfolio of distinctive offerings, global reach,

and dedicated local assistance, CCL Clinical sets the standard for excellence in clinical trial labeling services.

Functional and Specialty Labels and Products: CCL specializes in complex, multi-web constructions to create functional products and applications that surpass the capabilities of other converters. Our strength lies in the unique ability to print adhesive on uncoated material, empowering our engineers to design solutions for our customers’ most complex projects.

Specialization in Folding Cartons: Our global folding carton production specializes in low volume/high mix products. We offer no MOQ’s, short lead-times and industry leading quality.

CCL Healthcare offers comprehensive RFID solutions, featuring customized highperformance inlays, hardware, software, and a seamless, non-intrusive bolt-on solution for high-speed RFID packaging lines called RFID Line Management or RLM. RLM is the most advanced non-intrusive bolt-on RFID encoding and validation solution on the market. RLM fully integrates into your current packaging line, achieving encoding speeds of 700 items per minute.

Our commitment to patient safety drives us to develop cutting-edge RFID inlays for the pharmaceutical industry We firmly believe that if our inlays can prevent even one patient death, aid in a drug recall, or ease the burden on healthcare providers by allowing them more time to focus on patient care, then our efforts are justified. Failure is not an option for us - that is why we offer optimized RFID Inlays tailored to your medications dielectric properties.

Chase-logeman Corporation

303 Friendship Drive; Greensboro, North Carolina 27409

336-665-0754

info@chaselogeman.com

www.chaselogeman.com

Chase-Logeman Corporation, a fourthgeneration family-owned U.S. manufacturer, has crafted monoblock fill-finish equipment for over 60 years. Trusted across industries, our machines ensure long life, consistent throughput, rapid changeovers, and repeatable results with minimal labor.

Designed and built in Greensboro, NC, each unit is tailored to customer needs, handling glass or plastic bottles with screw caps or vials with stoppers and crimps. Multiple dosing options ensure high volumetric accuracy and consistent performance from microliters to 125ml. Available options support product integrity, validation, low waste, and environmental controls.

Chase-Logeman machines can be manufactured as semi or fully-automatic. Semi-automatic machines are designed for future automation upgrades to grow with your business.

A fill-finish line is not just a monoblock filler. Chase-Logeman can integrate many accessories to provide optimal automation solutions for many budgets. Bulk container unscrambling, container marking, applying tamper evident seals, product accumulation, and tray loading are all processes which have been successfully integrated for our customers.

For your next filling and closing project, partner with Chase-Logeman for proven automation solutions.

Small volume liquid filling monoblock machines are manufactured for all industries.

Chase-Logeman FSAS models combine compact design with high productivity for vial processing. All functions are selectable, offering full or partial stoppering options for flexible fill-finish operations.

Chase-Logeman FPCC models are designed for nasal plugs, stoppers, and caps, these systems fill and seal containers for final packaging. Compatible with thin or viscous, aqueous or flammable fluids, ensuring efficiency and consistency.

Automatic tray loading and unloading for minimizing operator interventions are also available. Rotary turntables for accumulating and sort containers can be incorporated into almost any system.

Dt engineering - automation and tooling solutions

1107 Springfield Road, Lebanon, Missouri 65536

Phone email Website

www.dtengineering.com contactus@dtengineering.com 417-664-0120

DT Engineering is a trusted leader in delivering advanced automation and tooling solutions. With decades of industry experience, we partner with manufacturers to streamline operations, reduce costs, and maintain the highest levels of quality and safety.

Our comprehensive offerings include precision-engineered equipment, integrated automation systems, modernizations of outdated equipment, and complete tool and die solutions. Each system is designed to address the unique challenges of regulated and high-demand markets. We understand the pressures our customers face, such as tight production timelines, evolving compliance requirements, and the constant need for scalable, reliable solutions. We build systems that keep them ahead of the curve. What truly sets us apart is our collaborative approach. We work side by side with each customer to design solutions that align with their production goals. Every solution we deliver is

backed by expert service and long-term reliability, ensuring our customers’ success today and for years to come.

By combining deep industry expertise with cutting-edge innovation, we help bring products to market faster, safer, and more efficiently than ever before.

With DT Engineering, you gain more than equipment, you gain a dedicated partner in your growth and your goals.

Our mission is to employ world class associates, that provide automation and tooling solutions to world class manufacturers, with an unprecedented defining touch of excellence.

harpak-Ulma Packaging

85 Independence Drive, Taunton, MA 02780

Phone email Website

800-813-6644

info@harpak-ulma.com

www.harpak-ulma.com

Harpak-ULMA packaging systems can handle all your medical primary and secondary packaging equipment requirements – from single components through completely automated systems. Our full-service solutions address installation, training, spare parts, service and customer support, while capabilities span robotics and automation, thermoforming, tray sealing, flow wrapping, multihead weighing, stretch, filling, blister, skin pack, and vacuum. Our secondary equipment can prepare products for retail ready displays, create multipacks for bundling of products, and erect and load cartons to get your product out the door. We provide the total solution – from beginning to end, product to pallet – for the medical industry.

Our medical packaging solutions offer maximum product protection, hermetic sealing, the ability to customize the package shape, blister packs for retail sale, hygienic individual and multipacks, easy open options, and protection

during transport and handling. These solutions meet the strictest standards required by the medical sector. We can meet them all, like ISO 11607, EN 868, ASTM D1585, ASTM F2097 and ASTM F3475-11. Packages are suitable for sterilization processes and maintain these conditions until opened. You can also expect to be in accordance with CFR 21 Part 11 for documentation.

We have in-process controls like vision inspection for product and printing, product in package height detection, and automatic rejection. Process monitoring includes alarm conditions for critical parameters out of range like time, temperature and pressure. There’s also a data integrity option for track and trace of operator in the HMI, plus trending of critical parameters. When it comes to calibration, our critical parameter equipment comes calibrated from the factory, and access points are provided for routine calibration.

Our objective is to reduce complexity and total cost of ownership while delivering improved quality, capacity, and throughput. Moreover, Harpak-ULMA is committed to establishing a foundation of smart, connected packaging capabilities that leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) to enable Remote OEE solutions and practical Augmented Reality (AR) applications. These tools can deliver significant productivity gains—even realizing 30-50% improvements in training productivity, while streamlining operational and maintenance workflows.

heat and Control, inc.

21121 Cabot Blvd, Hayward, CA 94545

Phone email Website

510.259.0500

info@heatandcontrol.com

www.heatandcontrol.com

Providing safeguards that help ensure your products match the prescription. Anywhere along the line, protect your consumer and your equipment. Efficient detection of foreign objects is critical to consumer safety, brand survival, and will also protect machinery and prevent downtime. We offer a complete line of metal detectors, checkweighers, and X-ray inspection systems from our strategic partners: CEIA® and Ishida.

CEIA Metal Detection - CEIA, is a world leading innovator of industrial metal detection systems for products such as powders, capsules, tablets, and liquids. Quality control is at the core of CEIA development of the most advanced electronic and mechanical technologies for detection of contaminants accidentally present in products.

Ishida X-Ray - The Ishida IX Series raises the bar in performance and usability with a global range that meets all local territory standards. Offering customers easy maintenance and stress-free operation, the range includes a robust fail-safe system that prevents a contaminated product reaching the consumer in the event of a power outage or breakdown, helping to minimize the potential for costly recalls.

Ishida Checkweighers - Ishida offers highprecision weight checking you can depend on. Checkweighing is key for delivering what your consumers expect by providing accurate verification of a package’s weight or count and detecting missing components. Rely on a range of features to handle different products and incorporate new functions to meet the latest requirements.

Rising to the challenge, advancing processes, and helping to bring the best products to the world using science, technology, and creative thinking.

We are process and product technologists committed to advancing pharmaceutical and other industries with science and imagination. Whether you measure success by effciencies, improvement, or innovation, count on us to deliver results.

Providing sales, service and spare parts expertise across the globe for metal detection, X-ray and checkweighing anywhere along a production line, Heat and Control works closely with strategic partners to bring new technologies and solutions that meet the strictest of quality standards.

Phone email Website

Precision Weighing for Pharmaceuticals & Nutraceuticals

At High Tek, we provide industry-leading packaging solutions focusing on accuracy, efficiency, and reliability. Our advanced facility manufactures high-performance equipment designed to meet the evolving needs of the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. With 24/7 technical support, we ensure expert assistance is always available to keep your operations running smoothly.

The High Tek Mini Weigher is engineered for the stringent demands of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical packaging. With over 20 years of industrial weighing expertise, we’ve developed a compact yet highly precise system that delivers unmatched accuracy and performance. Featuring 0.01g load cell precision, the Mini Weigher ensures consistent, repeatable results. It handles

target weights from 1g to 28g and dispenses up to 60 units per minute, seamlessly integrating into various packaging lines. Its versatility allows it to handle pills, capsules, powders, soft gels, and supplements with optimal efficiency.

Designed to meet strict regulatory requirements, the Mini Weigher safeguards product integrity while ensuring compliance. Its fully enclosed structure maintains a controlled environment to prevent contamination. Tool-free removable components allow for quick, efficient cleaning, meeting industry hygiene standards.

Whether you’re handling pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals, the Mini Weigher is a trusted, cost-effective solution that delivers unmatched precision and dependability. Backed by cuttingedge technology and a dedicated support team, we ensure your success every step of the way. www.hightekusa.com

High Tek Best Selling Pouch Bagger

James alexander Corporation

845 Route 94, Blairstown, NJ 07825

Phone email Website

908.362.9266

info@james-alexander.com

www.james-alexander.com

James Alexander Corp. has added 18,000 square feet to its warehousing capacity, providing more space for servicing pharmaceutical (OTC & Rx), medical devices, health & beauty products, first aid and diagnostics sectors.

JAC’s patented single-use plastic ampoules are available in a variety of colors and applicators, offering singlehanded activation in a customizable format. JAC’s glass ampoules can be filled and assembled in single-use swab or dropper packages, and its novel winged device, THE ACTIVATOR™, provides easier activation for these glass formats. Other services include autoclave sterilization for glass ampoules, blister packaging and formula compounding.

PLASTIC UNIT-DOSE DISPENSING SYSTEMS

James Alexander Corp.’s plastic ampoule combines style and ease of use through singlehanded activation. With a gentle squeeze, the inner membrane ruptures, allowing contents to

be dispensed. Available in sizes up to 5ml, and a range of colors and applicators.

UNIT-DOSE GLASS SWABS

James Alexander Corp.’s unit-dose swabs offer the stability of glass in one- or two-part systems for convenient application of pharmaceuticals and health aids. JAC also produces single-use glass ampoules for inhalation and dropper tip assemblies for liquid dispensing.

THE DUODISPERSION SYSTEM® TANDEM PACKAGE

Safe and easy to use, the DuoDispersion System® tandem dropper or swab can hold two separate liquids, or a powder and a liquid; each formula is sealed in its own ampoule until the point of application. It can hold a combined volume of 1.2mls. Two versions are available: a dropper tip and a swab for topical application.

Located in northern New Jersey, James Alexander Corporation (JAC) is a leading contract manufacturer and custom filler of single-use crushable glass and plastic ampoules. Founded in 1976 by Francesca Fazzolari and Alexander Davidson, JAC is a privately-owned, ESOP company that still services several of the same customers it originated with 45 years ago.

JAC’s manufacturing facility features unique, company-designed equipment and produces its patented plastic ampoules, among other products. The company makes great efforts to ensure that most of its components are made in the USA, aligning with its goal of investing in local communities, regional job markets and the American manufacturing sector at large. Currently, James Alexander is developing new and innovative materials for JAC’s plastics ampoules. Among other aims, the goal is to make the containers compatible with alcohol-based liquids.

marchesini Group Usa

43 Fairfield Place, West Caldwell, NJ 07006

Phone email Website

973.575.7445

Sales@marchesiniusa.com

www.marchesini.com/en

For 50 years, Marchesini Group has been creating customized machines and lines for the packaging of pharmaceutical, biotech and cosmetic products. Founded in 1974 by Massimo Marchesini, the multinational company with a consolidated turnover of over 600 million Euros and 3,000 employees is present in 116 countries worldwide, including the USA, a strategic area where the subsidiary Marchesini Group USA has been operating for over 30 years. Established in 1992, the 23,000-squarefoot North American Headquarters supports the USA, Puerto Rico, and Canada markets. This modern facility is equipped and staffed to meet the ever-increasing demands of today’s sophisticated and quality-conscious packaging clients. Thanks to 30 years of experience, the team of experts comprehensively analyzes and defines the customer’s packaging requirements, translating technical challenges into effective and unique solutions. By combining the most advanced technology with

expertise and the needs of the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and consumer products industries, Marchesini Group USA provides stand-alone machines, complete lines, and turnkey solutions for the full packaging of products, solving all challenges. From the processing to primary and secondary packaging, up to the end of the line: all the solutions are characterized by high quality, reliability, flexibility and customization. Furthermore, customer assistance is central: whether the customer’s packaging solution requires a new installation, a modification, or a retrofit, the team is here to help optimize productivity and maximize up time to achieve the best results and the highest output. Finally, the Group has always invested in the use of new technologies, providing artificial intelligence solutions to optimize the performance of both the robotics and the vision systems for inspection and object recognition installed on the machine.

Fifty years have passed since my father, Massimo, developed the first cartoning machine in the garage of our home in Pianoro (Bologna), in Italy. We then expanded rapidly, and over time we have grown without compromising the quality that characterizes Made in Italy production. Today, we export 90% abroad, thanks to our employees, collaborators, suppliers, and the entire supply chain.

The packaging industry is indeed a sector in constant evolution, and to remain competitive, we must continually embrace technological innovation. In recent years, we have invested heavily in artificial intelligence to provide machines and lines increasingly capable of preserving product quality and improving production performance. We are the right partner where customers will find the best cutting-edge solutions for their specific needs.

Maurizio Marchesini, President of Marchesini Group

mettleR toleDo Product inspection

1571 Northpointe Parkway, Lutz, FL 33558

Phone email

Website

813.889.9500

pi.marketing@mt.com

www.mt.com/pi

METTLER TOLEDO is your single source for product inspection solutions offering metal detectors, x-ray inspection systems, checkweighers, and machine vision systems. Our broad product inspection line ranges from very basic and economical systems to sophisticated, stateof-the-art systems with customized material handling solutions. Systems can ensure perfect product presentation, create codes, verify package and label integrity, ensure weight range compliance, detect physical contaminants and inspect contents inside the closed package.

CI-Vision machine vision systems perform accurate label and package quality inspections on all types of packaging, including label quality, 1D, 2D, and alphanumeric text, proper sealing, cap and lid placements, and tamper band presence.

Safeline metal detection systems are extremely sensitive, easy to use, and prevent costly recalls by ensuring your products are free of ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless-steel contaminants which can be introduced during processing.

Safeline X-ray inspection systems can detect contaminants including stone, glass, and ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless-steel metals, as well as detect mass and check for missing or damaged product inside closed packages.

Hi-Speed checkweighers are available in a wide range of sizes and configurations to handle nearly any container type or package design at high speeds to ensure accurate product delivery, reduced giveaway, and an optimized production process.

An OMAC member, we are committed to connectivity as well as data storage and retrieval, with methods including EthernetIP and OPC, as well as METTLER TOLEDO’s ProdX data collection. ProdX facilitates the collection and storage of production data across multiple lines and facilities. All data is easily accessible and exportable to other systems, facilitating compliance with all regulatory requirements.

Our solutions supported by the most comprehensive engineering solutions, product testing, and training in the industry, with 24/7 telephone support and nationwide field service.

• Capsule fillers

• Capsule checkweighers

• Capsule banding machines

• Pouch fillers - Stick pack machines

• Cartoners

• Tray formers

• Case packers

• Palletizers

31 Kulick Road Fairfield, NJ 07004

Phone email Website

973.808.8185

sales@mgamerica.com

www.mgamerica.com

With decades of global expertise, MG America is a leading supplier of precision-crafted processing and packaging machinery that includes: Capsule fillers, material handling systems, checkweighing and vision inspection equipment, liquid filling and capping equipment, solid dose equipment, labeling machinery, blister pack machinery, thermoforming machinery, tray forming and loading equipment, cartoning machinery, coding and verification equipment, case packing machinery, palletizing equipment, washing and sterilization equipment, robotic/ automated assembly equipment, and complete line integrations.

From sales, field service, and spare parts to machine trials and local service/support representation, MG America offers a true “Partnership for Success.”

• Packaging line integration

• Metal detectors for capsules

• Bottle unscramblers

• Bottle fillers/cappers

• Tablets/capsules & liquids

• Bottle labelers

• Bottles - Carton coding/verification/ serialization

• Bin blending equipment

• Material handling equipment

• Washers

• Sterilizers

• Depyrogenation

mm Packaging

1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 19801, United States

Phone email Website

+ 1 336-279-4794

PharmaHc-packaging@mm.group

www.mm.group

At MM Pharma & Healthcare Packaging, we specialize exclusively in packaging solutions for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. With a strong network of 25 dedicated sites across Europe and the United States, we reliably supply cartons, labels, and patient information leaflets to global pharma companies and regional players alike.

More than just a supplier, we position ourselves as a strategic partner focused on enhancing efficiency and reliability on your packaging lines. Our comprehensive approach blends deep regulatory expertise, specialized technical support, and global coordination to ensure seamless integration and consistent performance at every stage.

We bring added value where it matters most. To optimize line efficiency and innovation, we offer solutions such as ComboPack and PiggyBack, which reduce handling and accelerate packaging speed. Our patented ClearCode®

system enables pre-serialization with unprinted cartons, and we provide robust launch support alongside tailored 3D rendering and structural design services developed specifically for pharma production lines.

In the realm of smart and connected packaging, we offer RFID, NFC, and temperature indicator labels that enhance traceability and patient safety. These technologies, along with tamperevident and anti-counterfeiting features, are integrated seamlessly into both cartons and labels.

Sustainability is embedded in our design philosophy. We develop plastic-free structural alternatives such as molded pulp and boardbased fixtures, and we optimize formats and materials without compromising on regulatory compliance or product integrity.

Our team supports pharmaceutical companies and CDMOs across regions with agile, expert service. Whether your priority is to streamline operations, improve product safety, or advance environmental targets, we’re here to help you move forward.

One expert partner, three core packaging components—cartons, labels, and leaflets—and endless potential for innovation.

our ad on page 11

mUltiVaC Group

11021 N Pomona Avenue Kansas City, MO 64153

800.800.8552

sales@multivac.com

multivac.com/us

MULTIVAC is your partner for healthcare packaging, labeling, inspection, and handling solutions. Our packaging machines are the perfect machines for every pack.

MULTIVAC is one of the world’s leading suppliers of packaging solutions for a wide variety of medical and pharmaceutical products, as well as consumer and industrial goods. Our portfolio covers virtually all packaging design, performance, and resource efficiency requirements. In addition, it encompasses an extensive range of packaging technologies, automation solutions, and labeling and quality control systems.

All MULTIVAC machines can be integrated into holistically designed systems thanks to our comprehensive line solutions. To ensure maximum line operating and process reliability, high efficiency, and low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). With this in mind, we are consistently

driving forward digitalization through real-time analysis tools such as MULTIVAC Smart Services targeted towards predictive maintenance and machine learning. Thinking and acting sustainably, we are committed to the responsible use of resources and energy throughout the manufacturing process and at your site, ensuring the effective use of our products.

Ultimately, we see ourselves as a partner who makes a decisive contribution to your business success – whether you are a start-up or a large company, when you decide on a MULTIVAC packaging solution, you opt for the highest level of quality and efficiency, comprehensive customer care, and perfect service. As a worldwide group with 85 subsidiaries, we are closely linked with our customers and their markets, allowing us to identify trends and developments early. As our customer, you benefit from our highly qualified sales and service team in your area.

For over 60 years, MULTIVAC Group has led the way in packaging and processing innovation, delivering efficiency, reliability, and expertly engineered solutions. From packaging and slicing to labeling, inspection, and automation, our full-line solutions are tailored to elevate your products, streamline your operations, and increase your revenue.

Family-owned with a global footprint, MULTIVAC Group operates in 84 locations with more than 7,400 employees worldwide. In the U.S., our Kansas City headquarters is complemented by five Regional Customer Support Centers, ensuring responsive service in your region with over 80% of our equipment located within 2 hours of a technician.

At MULTIVAC, we’re not just building machines; we’re building production partnerships to help your business succeed.

a Promach Product brand

5600 Kieran, Montreal, QC H4S 2B5 Canada

Phone email

Website

NJM Products Include:

Line Integration – NJM can integrate a tablet, powder, or liquid packaging line. We provide equipment and then integrate turnkey systems at the customer’s plant.

Unscramblers – NJM unscrambling equipment is compact and designed for round, rectangle, square, or oval bottles.

Cappers & Retorquers – NJM cappers include inline belt, inline disc, and rotary continuous models. Compact design makes our cappers easy to incorporate into your packaging operation.

Cottoners – NJM cottoners are simple yet precise, with a guillotine tearing device as standard equipment, and options such as missing cotton detection and wisp detection.

Labelers – NJM labelers are robust, reliable, and versatile, with electronic controls and up-todate container handling features.

Liquid Filling & Closing – Aseptic liquid filling & closing systems for the pharmaceutical liquid dose industries are offered by our partner, Dara Pharmaceutical. NJM is Dara Pharma’s exclusive sales partner in the USA and Canada.

Print & Apply – NJM print & apply labelers label cases, cartons, bags, pallets, drums, and tires. Purchase individually, or as part of a turnkey system. RFID tagging is also available.

Tablet Counters – NJM offers tablet counters from our partner, Cremer. Cremer counters feature thoughtful design, robust construction, quality, and accuracy. Cremer tablet counters are also simple to take apart for cleaning, without tools. www.NJMPackaging.com

NJM, part of ProMach Pharma Solutions, has been a trusted automated packaging systems manufacturer, integrator, and support resource for over a century. We offer a broad range of technologies and applications, specializing in the needs of pharmaceutical, nutraceutical/vitamin, and personal care product packagers. Complementing NJM’s manufacturing and integration expertise, we supply quality packaging line equipment from other leading manufacturers.

The full range of NJM’s services – manufacturing, representation of NJM’s distributed brands, and integration – makes NJM a one-stop packaging solutions provider offering expert knowledge and experience from the earliest stages of planning through implementation and production.

4000 College Rd, Battleboro, NC 27809

Phone email

Website

Ossid LLC, a ProMach brand, is committed to providing our customers with a superior line of medical packaging machines.

Working with customers in the medical industry, Ossid provides sterile, safe, and effective packaging equipment solutions. There’s nothing standard about medical devices. Ossid understands the unique and complicated requirements of the medical industry and strives to meet those needs with precision and safety at the forefront of the design. That’s why Ossid’s line of thermoform fill and seal machines are flexible to fit your specialized needs, no matter the specifications. If you can imagine it, our team of engineers, with a combined 75 years of experience, will work to design it.

Ossid’s medical device thermoformers are versatile; packaging both flexible and rigid medical package types and are built in accordance with UL 508A standards.

These machines offer many features and

benefits including an auto web aligner, static eliminator, hinged upper tooling, servo actuated presses, and a robust framework and guarding package. These machines are ideal for packaging medical devices, dental kits, syringes, pharmaceuticals, and other products.

In addition to thermoformers, Ossid is also a master distributor for the Reepack brand of flow wrappers. With four styles to choose from, flow wrappers can provide a packaging solution ideal for products requiring a hermetic seal or a simple dust covering. Let our team guide you to the best packaging solution for your application.

Our comprehensive customer service program, including service technicians, parts and training teams know how to help you keep your equipment running at maximum efficiency. Ossid helps its packaging customers protect and grow the reputation and trust of their consumers. ProMach is performance, and the proof is in every package.

Our mission at Ossid is to provide our customers with cost-effective packaging and labeling solutions. Ossid works to give our customers a complete flexible packaging solution. Providing customers with excellent service nationwide, we can respond quickly to customers experiencing downtime needs and offer preventive maintenance programs to reduce overall downtime concerns. Our goal is to build long term relationships with our customers. Our committed sales, service, and aftermarket parts teams work collectively to quickly and effectively assist customers with their needs.

ProMach can offer solutions for any customer project or application needs by providing best in class stand-alone equipment from industry leading product brands, partial line integrations, and complete large multi-brand turnkey packaging line integrations.

Pharmaworks, a Promach Product brand

2346 Success Dr., Odessa, FL 33556 USA

Phone email Website

Pharmaworks Products Include:

TF1 Blister Machine – A simple and cost-effective blister packaging solution. The TF1 blister machine is perfect for entry-level packagers where budget matters.

TF1e Blister Machine – Features a compact footprint, quick changeover, and the latest in servo technology. The TF1e is perfect for small, medium, or clinical production.

TF1pro Blister Machine – The latest in blister packaging technology, the TF1pro is built for today’s demanding cGMP and changeover requirements.

TF2 Blister Machine – A medium output workhorse that is great for deep-draw medical devices and consumer products.

Pharmaworks, part of ProMach Pharma Solutions, is the premier supplier of blister packaging machinery for North America and has a worldwide installed base. Backed by the power of ProMach, Pharmaworks can turnkey any size blister project from our expanded production facility in Odessa, FL.

TF3 Blister Machine – All the features expected in a high output machine.

Vision Systems – Scanware blister and print vision inspection systems.

Feeding Systems – Pharmaworks provides a variety of feed systems featuring pick & place, flood feeding, dedicated, and custom robotic technology.

Blister Machine and Cartoner Rebuilds – Not ready to invest in new blister packaging equipment? Pharmaworks is the clear leader with over 20 years of experience rebuilding and upgrading third-party equipment.

Tooling & Change Parts – As the leading OEM, Pharmaworks is the go-to source for tooling any of our packaging machines as well as a variety of third-party equipment. www.Pharmaworks.com

For 20 years, Pharmaworks has set ourselves apart from other OEMs by not only selling our line of blister machines and equipment, but by rebuilding and upgrading other OEM brand equipment. This uniquely positions Pharmaworks to be a full-service provider for our packaging customers.

Industries served:

• Pharmaceutical

• Medical/ Medical Device

• Animal Health

• Nutraceutical

• Personal Care

Pmi KYoto Packaging systems

850 Pratt Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 USA

Phone

email

Website

847-437-1427

sales@pmikyoto.com

www.pmikyoto.com

Based in Chicagoland since 1993, PMI Kyoto has worked with our customers to solve their hardest packaging challenges. Specializing in cartoning and case packing, our engineering and manufacturing teams at both our US and Japanese facilities have the decades of experience required to provide a reliable system that will meet your packaging needs now and operate on your floor for decades.

From robust, high speed cartoning of 200+ products per minute, flexible robotic systems that automate infeed and material loading, to innovative machines that reduce packaging material needs, our machines are built and assembled in Elk Grove Village, IL to meet your requirements.

Following our high production standards and engineered for easy future updates as production requirements change, it’s common to find PMI Kyoto systems running for 20 or more years.

Horizontal Cartoners

Vertical Cartoners

Case Packers

Robotic Systems

Integrated Systems

We take pride and go the extra mile to make sure that your machine meets and exceeds your expectations.

Our user-focused philosophy of designing rugged, well-crafted machines that make life easy on operators and maintenance will assure your highest efficiencies with minimum cost of ownership while assure highest efficiencies machine runs for many decades.

PMI KYOTO machines are built to meet the requirements of today while adapting to the needs of the future.

See our ad on page 17

Prosys Fill llC.

426 E Fountain Rd, Webb City, MO 64870

Phone email Website

417-673-6542

info@prosysfill.com

ProSysFIll.com

ProSys is a premier manufacturer of semiautomatic and fully automatic equipment for filling, Squeeze Tubes, Syringes, Airless Pumps, Cartridges, Jars, Containers & Hot Melt applications for the Pharmaceutical industry. A global supplier of filling equipment since 1985 with U.S. sales, manufacturing and customer service facilities located in Southwest Missouri.

FEATURES & BENEFITS

• Fill Accuracy of +/- 0.1% by Volume

• Turnkey & Custom Designs

• Air-Free Vertical Bottom-Up Filling

• Custom Mix Solutions (Eliminates Batching)

• Drum & Pail Presses

• SERVO Solutions

• Explosion Proof Controls (Class 1 Division 1&2, ATEX 0&1)

• Tool-free Release System for Simple Changeovers

• “Digital Readout Indicators” for Fast & Accurate Adjustments

• Multiple Service Technicians for Less Down Time & Preventive Maintenance

• On-line Service & Support

• Recipe Storage & Recall

• Creams, Lotions & Viscous Pastes to 3 Million Centipoise

• Designed & Built in the U.S.A.

MAJOR MARKET GLOBAL INSTALLS

• Pharmaceutical

• Cosmetic

• Chemical

• Adhesive/Sealant

• Lubricant

• Food

Building Quality, Integrity & Value in Our Team, With Our Customers, & in the Equipment We Design, Build & Deliver.

FLEXIBLE COMBINATION SYSTEMS

• Plastic & Metal Tube Filling Systems

• Tube & Airless Pump Filling Systems

• Tube & Cartridge Filling Systems

• 10, 14 & 30 oz. Cartridge Filling Systems

Squeeze Tube Filling Machines speeds from 15 to 300 per minute.

Syringe Filling Machines speeds from 20 to 300 per minute.

Airless Pump Filling Machines speeds from 15 to 300 per minute.

Cartridge Filling Machines speeds from 10 to 250 per minute.

Custom Filling Systems

The owners, management, and staff of Starview are dedicated to designing and manufacturing packaging machines in North America with the highest quality fit, and finish backed up with industry leading customer service.

Phone

email

Website

514-920-0100 ext.310

sales@starviewpackaging.com

www.starviewpackaging.com

Starview Packaging Machinery, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of packaging machinery for high-visibility packaging with over 30 years of supplying standard and custom packaging systems to our customers. Providing the Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Industry with innovative packaging machines for:

• Medical Device Packaging

• Pharmaceutical Packaging

• Blister & Clamshell Packaging

• Customized Packaging Equipment

• Integrated Automated Systems

We design, engineer, and manufacture a comprehensive line of manual, semi-automatic, and automatic sealing machines. Available in shuttle, rotary, carousel, and inline conveyor configurations, a variety of standard and custom sealing areas are available to meet the specific requirements of customers and maximize

productivity. Machines are configured to suit the specific application such as carded packages, sterile medical device packages, or pharmaceutical wallet packages.

Our distinct competitive advantage is in providing a complete range of both standard and customized quality packaging systems backed by solid machine designs, robust machine construction, and superior service. Starview offers many value-added features for our machines such as product sensing, print-ing and/or verification, hydro-pneumatic cold seal presses, robotic product loading, automatic packaging materials loading, automatic inline fold-over, finished package unloading with reject features. Quick-change mechanisms for tooling sets, on-screen sealing press adjustments, machine performance tracking, and ANSI Class 4 safety make Starview machines an excellent choice.

Starview’s directive is to produce a full range of sealing machines for medical device packaging, pharmaceutical packaging and retail high visibility packaging. We offer standard machines with an array of custom and in demand options to provide our clients with machines to match their manufacturing requirements. We are fast, efficient and client focused. We invite you to come and experience the Starview Advantage.

Weiler engineering, inc.

1395 Gateway Drive, Elgin, IL 60124 USA

847.697.4900

Website

www.weilerengineering.com

Weiler Engineering, Inc., a leading provider of aseptic custom Blow/Fill/Seal liquid packaging equipment for pharmaceutical and healthcare applications, is committed to the highest standards of excellence and to expand products and systems to enhance patient care. Weiler’s proprietary ASEP-TECH® B/F/S packaging machines produce shatterproof, durable, aseptically-packaged products in one uninterrupted operation. This hands-free manufacturing process ensures that parenterals, ophthalmic solutions, and respiratory drugs reach the marketplace sterile, in the most cost-effective manner possible - every time. The ASEP-TECH® System is the culmination of 66 years of innovation in machine design and sterile process development, producing the most advanced aseptic liquid packaging process machinery available today.

The Weiler design incorporates the threestep process of blow molding, aseptic filling, and hermetic sealing of liquid products in one

sequential operation on a compact machine frame. Weiler’s patented electronically controlled fill system, automatic sterilization system with integral data collection, and filter integrity test system are provided as standard equipment for each machine configuration. Each machine is also equipped with a HEPA air shower to ensure a Class 100 environment under dynamic conditions in the nozzle shroud area.

Weiler’s latest innovation is the NEW compact ASEP-TECH® LAB+ Blow/Fill/Seal machine, which is ideal for Stability and Clinical batches for pharmaceutical products and/or small development batches using advanced aseptic technology. This revolutionary small footprint design focuses on ease of changeover and product range flexibility.

ASEP-TECH® Blow/Fill/Seal machines are proudly made in the USA, designed and built by Weiler Engineering, Inc. in a 140,000 ft², stateof-the-art plant. Weiler’s facilities and corporate offices are located near Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.

INNOVATION DRIVEN BY SCIENCE!

FACTS:

• Recognized as an advanced aseptic technology by the USFDA

• 66 years serving global markets

• Experience gained from 25 years operating a captive pharmaceutical CMO

• Close operation with regulatory authorities – compliance is key!

• Quality + Operational Know-how + Integrity

GOALS:

• Focus on the science of the technology for maximum customer benefit

• Simplicity of design to maximize product flexibility and minimize footprint

• Optimum service support throughout the markets we serve = high customer satisfaction!

Wipotec, inc.

825 Marathon Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Phone

email

Website

678.344.8300

info.usa@wipotec.com

www.wipotec.com/us

Wipotec is a global leader in innovative weighing and inspection technology, delivering exceptional accuracy, speed, and reliability to the pharmaceutical industry. Our solutions provide 100% in-line control, ensuring product safety and full regulatory compliance.

At the core is our Traceable Quality System – a modular Track & Trace solution offering serialization and aggregation to meet strict global regulations. With TQS, each package is traceable back to the manufacturer, helping combat counterfeiting and ensuring process integrity.

Wipotec systems are designed with compact, modular architecture, allowing easy integration into existing packaging lines. All machines meet stringent hygiene and validation standards, making them ideal for cleanroom environments.

Our high-precision EMFR Weigh Cells enable

dynamic weighing at high speeds, used for individual tablet weighing, completeness checks, and verifying package contents. Wipotec checkweighers achieve throughputs of up to 600 units per minute with unmatched accuracy.

Our X-ray inspection systems are designed for seamless integration into modern production environments. They feature an intuitive ConfigureFast interface for quick setup and efficient changeovers, open XML interfaces for smooth communication with Level 3 systems, and secure remote service tools that enable efficient troubleshooting and maintenance, minimizing downtime.

With 85% in-house production, Wipotec ensures rapid delivery, high quality, and tailored solutions. We bring precision, speed, and safety to every stage of your pharmaceutical production.

At Wipotec, “Innovation. Passion. First.” is more than a motto — it’s how we deliver advanced machine solutions for OEMs and end users worldwide.

Our integrated solutions cover the entire value chain – from hardware and software development to in-house production with an exceptionally high level of vertical integration and dedicated after-sales service. Everything is produced under one roof –quickly and precisely at the highest quality.

With over 100 locations worldwide, we ensure close proximity, rapid responsiveness, and comprehensive support to our customers.

“Designed, Engineered and Manufactured in Germany” is more than a quality mark; it’s our promise of measurable value in demanding, high-performance applications.

Weiler labeling systems (Wls), a Promach Product brand

Phone email

Website

www.WeilerLS.com

Rotary Labelers – Pressure-sensitive labelers for labeling a variety of product shapes vertically.

In-line Labelers – Pressure-sensitive labelers for labeling a variety of cylindrical products.

Label Heads – Pressure sensitive label heads with label print and inspection options including serialized codes and RFID tags.

Label Presence Inspection – WLS’s VialView label presence inspection stand-alone station is ideal for verifying label presence prior to final packaging.

Syringe Plunger Rod Insertion – WLS has just patented and introduced the new PR Plunger Rod Insertion and Labeling System for bulk syringes, providing a generational leap in technology, productivity, and control over prior plunger rod insertion technologies.

Label Coders – For stand-alone or integrated high-speed coding of labels, including serialized codes.

Label Printers – AUTONOMY® is a high-speed, full-color, stand-alone digital label printer with integrated full-label inspection system. Printing variable and serialized data with label artwork.

Vial Coders – For code printing on vials or bottles using ink jets or lasers.

Documentation & Certifications – DDS, FAT, SAT, IQ/OQ and Trace Matrix documents as well as UL, Seismic and CE certifications.

Field Service – US and European field service team also offering equipment training courses and maintenance contracts.

WLS, part of ProMach Pharma Solutions, is an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of high-speed rotary and in-line labeling machines and serialization, coding and label printing solutions for the pharmaceutical and medical packaging markets as well as the food, beverage, personal care, and consumer markets.

With over three decades of experience, our mission is to improve our customer’s labeling capabilities and ensure that our labelers provide them with the highest possible OEE.

Industries Served:

• Pharmaceutical

• Medical/Medical Device

• Nutraceutical & Vitamins

• Food

• Beverage

• Consumer Products

Antares Vision Group 36, 56 www.antaresvisiongroup.com

BELL-MARK 32, 57 www.bell-mark.com

CCL Healthcare 19, 58 www.cclhealthcare.com

Chase-Logeman Corporation 25, 59 www.chaselogeman.com

Dispense Works Inc. 54 www.dispenseworks.com

DT Engineering 60, 79 www.dtengineering.com

Harpak-ULMA Packaging, LLC 47, 61 www.harpak-ulma.com

Heat and Control, Inc. 5, 62 www.heatandcontrol.com

High Tek USA 21, 63 www.hightekusa.com

IMA - S.p.A. 7 www.ima.it

James Alexander Corp. 33, 64 www.james-alexander.com

Marchesini Group USA Inc. 20, 65 www.marchesini.com

METTLER TOLEDO 46, 66 www.mt.com/pi

MG America, Inc. 15, 67 www.mgamerica.com

MM Packaging 11, 68 www.mm.group/pharma

MULTIVAC Group IFC, 69 www.multivac.com/us

NJM Packaging 29, 70 www.njmpackaging.com Ossid 42, 71 www.ossid.com

Pharmaworks 35, 72 www.pharmaworks.com

PMI KYOTO 49, 73 www.pmikyoto.com

PMMI 41, 53, OBC www.pmmi.org

ProSys Fill LLC. 43, 74 www.prosysfill.com

Starview Packaging Machinery Inc. 3, 75 www.starviewpackaging.com

Weiler Engineering, Inc. 37, 76 www.weilerengineering.com

Wipotec 2, 77 www.wipotec.com/us

WLS 78, IBC www.weilerls.com

Two Labor Retention Solutions for Packagers and Processors

Packaging and processing professionals note the burden of labor retention issues and propose approaches to remedy them.

By Christopher Smith, Assistant Editor

High turnover and low labor retention rates remain prevalent across packaging and processing industries, which affect companies’ resiliency and disrupt their operations. Labor issues appear to be a worldwide problem for manufacturers. However, industry professionals have approaches that move toward solutions.

That’s according to PMMI Business Intelligence’s “Technology& Workforce: Using Smart Technologies to Bridge the Skills Gap,” a report that captures insight from packaging and processing end-users and OEMs on the role technology can play in addressing the increasing skills gap and the burden of costly training periods for new hires. The report stems from a Q&A session and roundtable discussions between expert panelists and industry participants at PACK EXPO International 2024.

A change in mindset and streamlining training

The excessive cost of repeatedly training new employees coupled with losing a generation of highly experienced, dependable operators and technicians is a notable burden. Yet, one industry professional believes a mindset shift in the hiring process is a step forward.

“renter,” a temporary or perhaps less invested perspective, is a solution that empowers employees. This can help foster longterm commitment.

“ ”

THE IDEA of hiring someone who will “own” his or her role in a business, rather than the individual seeing the work from a “renter,” a temporary or perhaps less invested perspective, is a solution that empowers employees.

“[You] want to hire owners into [y]our business, not renters,” a global leader from a large fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) corporation explained.

The idea of hiring someone who will “own” his or her role in a business, rather than the individual seeing the work from a

A short-term labor solution proposed by experts is improving training for employees. One panelist referred to the process as “shortening the training curve.” Experts advocated for leveraging technology that technicians and operators are familiar with, such as videos, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), radio frequency identification (RFID), and human machine interfaces (HMIs) to streamline training and enhance operational efficiency.

“A picture equals a thousand words, and a video equals a thousand words per frame,” one panelist stated.

SOURCE: PMMI Business Intelligence: Technology & Workforce: Using Smart Technologies to Bridge the Skills Gap

For more insights from PMMI’s Business Intelligence team, find reports, including “2024 Data Acquisition, Sharing and Utilization” and “2024 The AI Advantage in Equipment: Boosting Performance and Bridging Skills Gap” at pmmi.org/business-intelligence.

NEW PR-12 & PR-24

Plunger Rod Insertion and Labeling

Inserting the plunger rod, torquing it into place, and labeling the syringe using our new, patented ATR technology

The NEW, patented PR-12 and PR-24 from WLS perform high-speed, high-control plunger rod insertion, and syringe labeling in one, single, compact-footprint unit.