Medical Device Link.

Pharmaceutical and Medical Packaging News Magazine
PMPN Article Index

Originally Published May 2000

PHARMACEUTICALS

New Processes Spruce Up Pharmaceutical Tubes

Erik Swain, Senior Editor

Pharmaceutical manufacturers who sell over-the-counter (OTC) products in tubes are starting to enhance the shelf presence of their tubes to be instantly appealing to the consumer. In many cases, providing better shelf presence means producing better graphics.

Matching cartons and tubes from Montebello Packaging show how striking graphics can capture attention.

"On the pharmaceutical end, packages seem more aimed at the consumer," says Robert Burslem Jr., president of graphics firm SS Studios (Union, NJ). "I think pharmaceutical companies have realized how they can get consumers' attention. There is constant enhancement to computer programming for designing graphics. More-powerful computers have enabled new technologies to be used."

Michael Hoard, market manager—North America for tube manufacturer Cebal America (Norwalk, CT), agrees. "There are more interesting graphics on pharmaceutical tubes, particularly those sold OTC, and an interesting use of vignettes and color shading," he says. "There are more banded colors and more interesting use of bright, eye-catching colors on tubes. Pharmaceutical tubes seem to be leaning toward a cosmetic type of packaging, taking better advantage of existing techniques widely used in other markets. The pharmaceutical market in general has already produced some very interesting packages."

LABELING

Some companies aim to improve whatever they can in the traditional printing process, in which the graphics are printed directly on the tube. Others have turned to labels to make their graphics more appealing. Manufacturers of metal tubes in particular have made a significant shift toward applying labels to aluminum tubes, suppliers say. Labels are also used on clear tubes.

"One reason for increased use of labels is a large explosion of the 'clear and natural' tube look. The traditional method of offset printing onto a clear tube does not provide opacity to the degree required," says Jeff Robinson, market development leader for packaging at Flexcon Co. (Spencer, MA), a pressure-sensitive material manufacturer that has introduced a new product line, optiFlex PE 340 series, aimed at tube applications. The optiFlex line of pressure-sensitive label stock is squeezable and conformable to the shape of a tube. "Another reason to use labels is that many tubes are a brand extension from other forms of packaging. They want the same pressure-sensitive label on the tubes as on the other packages."

To replicate a photographic image from a carton onto a tube, for example, the drug manufacturer is more likely to turn to labels these days, suppliers say.

However, going to a label may not be the right decision for every product. There are more up-front costs involved because labeling equipment, not needed in direct printing, must be purchased. Labeling does introduce variables such as adhesives and layout that are not part of direct printing. However, labeling can bring reduced costs in the long run because of less scrap.

"With labeling, you do get a bit better graphics if you print on a flat surface, and you don't waste a tube if something does not go very well; but you have to apply the label edge, and there can be problems if you do not lay it out right," says Cliff Miller, vice president of operations, Andrew M. Martin Company, Inc. (Gardenia, CA). "Cost-wise it's a bit more expensive. Labels are good if it's your first time in the marketplace, with lower volumes. When you get established, then it's better to print the tubes as they're being built."

With that in mind, Montebello Packaging (Oak Park, IL) has developed a proprietary system to print high-resolution tube labels in small quantities.

"This technique provides near photo-quality print," says Montebello's Kelly Barry, M-Deco sales director. "Anything you want, practically speaking, can be printed on a tube. We can do it in quantities as few as 1000 on aluminum tubes." He notes that the pharmaceutical industry has provided the most clients for this system, and other industries have expressed interest in modifying the technology to be used on plastic tubes.

At the system's core is a four-color process printer and a labeling machine. A client's graphics department will create a design and send it on a disk, Barry explains, and then "we process the design through our computerized system. We can send them the actual printing as it will be, using the same printer used for the label. They approve that, as opposed to a proof. There is no more processing unless they want it to be done. Then we apply the label stock to the tube and ship it. If customers know what they will be buying, we can hold blank tubes in stock for them. We can print, label, and ship in four weeks or less, minimizing the turnaround time."

As far as cost goes, Barry says, "piece by piece a labeled tube is more expensive than a printed tube, but what is the cost if you buy too many printed tubes, store them, then throw them away when you change the design?"

"Tubes are flexible. While label adhesion is no longer a problem with most of today's labels, air entrapment is still an issue," says Doug Gray, sales manager of printer Graphics International Group (GIG; Markham, ON, Canada). "The entrapment of air bubbles between the label and the tube can be difficult to eliminate and can be a nuisance when labeling on clear or colored tubes, which are unforgiving. In addition, long-term shelf appeal may be an issue with labels whose edges attract dirt while on the shelf as well as in use. Direct printing provides a slick, uniform surface that greatly resists such contamination and extends product appeal."

Flexcon has tried to address those concerns with its PE 340—series of labels, which are only 3.4 mil in thickness, Robinson says. "The label is fully conformable and squeezable, and it is designed for applications such as tubes. It also has enough body for high-speed automated applications," he says. "The printability of the face stock allows customers to do vignettes, high-quality graphics, UV flexo, letterpress, and rotary screen printing. We can also apply a coating to the film surface to enhance printability, which adds cost. But the product line is designed for optimal printability without a topcoating.

"More users are looking to wrap the label 360°," Robinson continues. "That's a very different application from standard flat-panel containers, and it has been challenging, but there has been success."

DIRECT PRINTING

There have been advancements in the direct-printing process as well.

"Metal and plastic are printed when already formed, and it's done using a letterset process. All colors must be printed at the same time in one pass," Burslem says. "That raises technical challenges and requires different techniques. You can't generally use a true four-color process, but we've found ways of doing spot-color halftones instead of process-color halftones."

Gray says photo-realism can be achieved with direct printing, noting that GIG, together with OMSO (Reggio Emilia, Italy), developed a proprietary high-definition printing system for tubes inspired by the company's experience as a supplier of printing technology to the CD industry. GIG/OMSO's high-definition print is achievable using its latest offset technology. Photographic-quality images are achieved using true four-color process printing.

New technology has enabled negatives to be produced in far higher resolutions than before, notes Jim Meadows, president, Dixie Graphics (Nashville, TN), which provides printing plates. "The resolution we can get with the new image setters—which output the film once the digital information is input—is so much better than it was, and that means top-notch quality on your negatives," he says.

ATTRACTING ATTENTION

Whether a company decides on labeling or direct printing for the graphics on its tubes, chances are a new advancement in printing technology is available. While pharmaceutical companies may not need to use these technologies to the extent that other industries like cosmetics do, they should be comforted to know that they can accomplish whatever they think it takes to catch the consumer's eye.

"The only limiting factor is your own imagination," says Barry.