MARKET PLACE
Quick turnaround service
Abbott Associates offers a quick turnaround service for converting flexible medical packaging. It specialises in Tyvek lidding and peelable pouches printed and converted to specification. Stock and custom sizes of lids and pouches are available. The company also manufactures bulk nonsterile kit components and medical grade labels and package inserts.
Abbott Associates Inc., Milford, Connecticut, USA
Tel. +1 203 878 2370, www.goabbott.com
Packaging and process validation
Medical Engineering Technologies provides physical testing for package integrity and product and package stability studies. The company is also equipped to provide a variety of pack strength and integrity tests. Validation for sterile barriers and packaging systems according to ISO 11607:1 is also available. Test programmes include accelerated ageing, studies of pack integrity and seal strength, environmental conditioning and shipping simulation. Testing is performed by the company’s test laboratory team, which also provides machine validations as described in ISO 11607-2:2006.
Medical Engineering Technologies Ltd, Hythe, UK.
Tel. +44 8454 588 924, www.medical-engineering.co.uk
Packaging solutions
VP offers packaging fabricated from medical grade paper, Tyvek, film laminates, paper and aluminium laminates as well as blister covers and lidding. Under the brand name Stericlin, it offers four-side-seal and form-fill-seal packaging systems using materials that it says are optimised for the product, the type of machine and the opening characteristics. Its prefabricated systems for smaller batches include header bags with breathable Tyvek opening, lidding made from Tyvek or paper and preformed three-side-seal pouches or reels in more than 300 standard formats. The company coats papers with all-over or pattern applied coating and prints customers’ text and graphics.
Vereinigte Papierwarenfabriken GmbH, Feuchtwangen, Germany.
Tel. +49 9852 9010, www.vp-group.de
Company acquisition
Oliver Medical, a supplier of die cut lid, roll, stock and pouch products, has acquired Tolas Healthcare Packaging, a manufacturer of sterile grade packaging, including peelable or tear open pouches and heat seal coated lidding. The company says the acquisition expands its coating and manufacturing operations and the combination of hot melt and water based adhesive technologies will provide a wide range of solutions from a single supplier.
Oliver Medical, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
Tel. +1 616 456 7711, www.olivermedical.com / www.tolas.com
Compact thermoforming machine
Multivac has introduced an entry level automatic thermoforming system that occupies less than 3 m2 of floor space. R105 is designed for the manufacture of packages with smaller dimensions and in smaller batch sizes. It has a limited selection of tools and equipment options, which allows for shorter delivery times and a more attractive price.
Multivac, Wolfertschwenden, Germany.
Tel. +49 8334 601 4847, www.multivac.de
Packaging machines
Hulme-Martin Heat Sealers manufactures and supplies a large range of packaging machines. The range includes simple bar sealers that can pack large and small items, foot and hand operated bench sealers from 230 to 3000 mm, probe or chamber vacuum sealers, rotary sealers and bespoke solutions.
Hulme Martin Heat Sealers Ltd, West End, UK.
Tel. +44 1483 476 767, www.hulmemartin.co.uk
Contract packaging services
IL-MedTec provides full service contract packaging including sterile packaging of devices such as implants, surgical instruments, biomaterials and diagnositics. Capabilities include customer-specific development projects; validation support; quality checks; clean room packaging in pouches, blister packs and vials; final packaging and labelling; sterilisation by gamma irradiation and ethylene oxide.
IL-MedTec AG, Burgdorf, Switzerland.
Tel. +41 34 421 81 21, www.ilmedtec.com
Pouching machine
KOCH Packaging Systems has redesigned its form–fill–seal machine for large deep draw blister packages. The KBS-KF has a standard form–seal area of 300 x 500 mm, and is reportedly capable of producing up to 600 blisters/min using PVC or PET forming materials and Tyvek, paper, film, foil and other lid stock materials. Design improvements include an intuitive operator interface capable of providing planned maintenance requirements in real time; reduced changeover time due to the servo controlled stations, quick change tools and a unique gripper chain redesign; and a new horizontal chain design that includes a pneumatically clamped material infeed section for fast setup and ensures edge trim is removed. The improved design also allows for rapid acceleration/deceleration equating to increased cycle times and higher output. Custom product infeed systems and end of line collating/cartoning systems are also available.
KOCH Packaging Systems LP, Towaco, New Jersey, USA.
Tel. +1 973 541 7312, www.kochpackaging.com
Modular packaging system
Dividella has developed a modular packaging system with triple mode configuration. The NeoTOP 804 can reportedly package up to 500 syringes/min. According to the company it offers a high degree of flexibility, especially when processing small lots, reduced changeover times, an automatic inserter and a comprehensive monitoring system.
Dividella AG, Werdenstrasse, Switzerland.
Tel. +41 81 750 33 87, www.dividella.com
Packaging design consultancy
Medical Pack Solutions, a packaging design consultancy, specialises in the identification and correction of issues that lead to variations in heat–seal quality. Services offered include functional package design, component specification, creation of standard operating procedures and validation support. Training of operators and engineers is available on request.
Medical Pack Solutions, Shannon, Ireland.
Tel. +353 61 364 837, www.m-p-s.ie
Four-edge bag sealing module
Medicon, a subsidiary of Optima, manufactures customer-specific manufacturing and packaging lines based on existing or purpose-specific newly developed function modules. The company has developed a four-edge bag sealing module that can process materials such as foils, composite materials, medical papers and Tyvek. In ongoing operation, the validatable plate sealing unit reaches a lane speed of up to 60 m/min. Typical applications are packaging wound dressings, transdermal plasters, diagnostic strips and other flat products. The module can be installed and used as part of a complex manufacturing machine (converter) or in standalone operation.
Optima Packaging Group GmbH, Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.
Tel. +49 791 5060, www.optima-ger.com
Customer focussed packaging website
Mondi, a paper and packaging company, has launched a customer-focused products section on its website that makes it easier for customers to find dedicated solutions to meet their needs. New functionalities include a ”served industries” section, which lists packaging products by application; a “sustainable solutions” section where products can be searched for according to their recyclability and biodegradability; and product pages that provide at a glance product information with more detail accessible via tabs. New product pages include an RFID-enabled corrugated case that can be traced through the entire supply chain; medical kraft paper for direct sealing processes for pouches and reels; and Sanocoat, an antimicrobial packaging solution for the prevention of germ growth.
Mondi Group, Vienna, Austria.
Tel. +43 1 790 130, www.mondigroup.com
Pouching machine
About Packaging offers a machine designed to open–fill–seal large premade Tyvek, strip header bags, foils and barrier pouches for the packaging of bulky medical devices and trays. The Maverick poucher features horizontal product loading for gentle product handling and has a single automatic bar seal (ABS) system. A second ABS can be integrated for higher production rates. The system can include an emboss code system and modified atmosphere or controller atmosphere packaging, via a diving snorkel system. The PLC control system includes self diagnostics, and calibration firmware and closed loop alarm limit checks reportedly provide reliable, validateable sealing and processing. Bar code readers and print and apply label applicators can also be Integrated.
About Packaging Robotics Inc., Thornton, Colorado, USA.
Tel. +1 303 449 2559, www.aboutpackagingrobotics.com
Packaging website
Packaging company Perfecseal, has launched a new website. The site highlights the company’s technical packaging capabilities, which include coextruded films, laminated films, flexible forming films, foil barrier films, pouches, bags, thermoformed trays, lids, labels, heat seal coated Tyvek and heat seal coated medical grades of paper. Visitors to the site can request specific technical data about the company’s products.
Perfecseal Ltd, Londonderry, UK.
Tel. +44 28 7181 4000, www.perfecseal.com
Packaging products
Bischof + Klein supplies flexible plastic and paper packaging and technical films. Its CleanFlex product line encompasses flat and tubular films, single- or multi-ply bags, three-side-sealed Tyvek or laminated bags and bottle-shaped bags. Its expertise grows with every individual, tailor-made packaging solution such as flexible containment systems as replacements for nonflexible components.
Bischof + Klein GmbH & Co. KG, Lengerich, Germany.
Tel. +49 54 81 920 496, www.bk-packaging.com
