Packaging: The Integral Part of The Pharmaceutical Industry

Pharmaceutical packaging is the packaging process for pharmaceutical preparations and is a vital part of the pharmaceutical product. Packaging is often involved in the dosing, dispensing, and use the pharmaceutical product. Packaging plays a significant role in keeping the drug safe, and one of the important aspects is that the material used for packaging the drugs should remain safe as it should not react with the drug packaged. 

Pharmaceutical packaging provides several essential functions, but its primary role is to protect a pharmaceutical. Pharmaceutical products can feature unique specifications and require sterilization before packaging; thus, pharmaceutical packaging is created to meet and maintain the highest medical standards and protect pharmaceutical product integrity. As a result of the vast array of medical components, medical packaging ranges from pre-formed packages to customized packages for specialty parts. Variations in size, dimension, rigidity, breathability, and sterility enable even the most delicate medical component to be shipped in an appropriately engineered package.

Technological innovations, including the development of thermoformable films, ultra-high barrier films, child-resistant, senior-friendly, unit dose packaging, specialty films, and eco-friendly packaging, are some trends in the medical packaging market. The increasing demand for drug delivery devices and innovative packaging is rising with non-traditional administration routes such as transdermal, nasal, rectal, IV, and biologics. Growing preference for unit dose packaging further boosts the pharmaceutical packaging market. The growing chronic disease prevalence, growth in the biologics market, and technological advancements are anticipated to propel further the pharmaceutical packaging market share for drug delivery and related packaging systems.

What Are The Types of Packaging In The Pharmacy?

Pharmaceutical packaging is segmented into primary, secondary, and others. Where primary pharmaceutical packaging holds the dominance, primary packing is further classified into the following sections:

• Blister Packs: Blister packaging or blister packs are pre-formed packaging materials composed of a thermoformed plastic cavity and a plastic lid. Many of the advantages of the blister pack design are associated with the current requirements of the pharmaceutical industry.
• Bottles: Bottles or containers are narrow-necked, rigid, or semi-rigid containers primarily used to hold liquids and semi-liquids but are also used for tablets and powders in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Vials: A vial is a small single or multi-dose plastic or glass container with a rubber seal top covered by a metal or plastic cap. In the medical field, vials store blood and tissue samples.
• Ampoules: These are small, sealed vials used to contain and preserve a sample, usually a solid or liquid. Ampoules are generally made of glass.
• Others: In the pharmaceutical industry, sachets are used for all types of dry products and diet supplements. Sachet packaging is pouch packaging made of plastic for separate doses. Mainly they are used for powder-based medicines.

Read our latest report here: Pharmaceutical Packaging Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027

Pharmaceutical Packaging Companies

According to Arizton Market Research Report, the pharmaceutical packing market is expected to cross USD 106 billion by 2027. The market has the presence of many key players, contributing to the industry's growth. And the US is the leading country with the leading pharmaceutical companies and is also the major exporter of pharmaceuticals. Here is the list of the top 5 pharmaceutical packaging companies in the world:

Amcor: Amcor is one of the significant players in developing and producing responsible packaging for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home, personal care, and other products. The company focuses uniquely on healthcare packaging, with a global network of experienced pharmaceutical and medical packaging professionals. Further, the company is focused on making increasingly lightweight, recyclable, and reusable packaging using increasingly recycled content. In April 2022, Amcor announced its multi-million-dollar investment to strengthen its leadership in the growing industry for sterile packaging, offering customers in Europe and North America another site with comprehensive healthcare solutions.

Aptar Group: Aptar Group has about 13,000 employees in 20 countries working across the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, beauty, personal care, and home care industries. The company is a trusted partner to many pharmaceutical companies to bring drug delivery solutions to market quickly and efficiently. And also focused on capturing opportunities in faster-growing economies, especially in Asia, and has begun to expand its pharma capacity. The company is one of the leading global suppliers of a broad range of innovative dispensing systems for pharmaceuticals

Berry Global: Berry Global is the number one healthcare non-woven provider worldwide. Berry excels in delivering unique solutions for a wide range of medical& pharmaceutical applications while also supporting global healthcare packing needs. The company comprises four reporting segments: Consumer Packaging International, Consumer Packaging North America, Engineered Materials, and Health, Hygiene & Specialities. Its Consumer Packaging International segment offers pharmaceutical devices and packaging. In September 2022, the company built a recycling ecosystem to provide non-wovens customers with recycled content.

Gerresheimer: Gerresheimer is a Germany-based leading global manufacturer of primary pharmaceutical packaging founded in 1864. Its portfolio comprises prefillable syringes, bottles, containers, vials, cartridges, and ampoules. Currently, the company has plants in Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. The company is focusing on continuous investments to expand its production capacity. In 2021, the company focused its investments on expanding capabilities for injectable drug delivery solutions, including glass vials and syringes.

WestRock: WestRock is an American corrugated packaging company formed in July 2015 and is the largest American packaging company. WestRock combines high-impact graphics with innovative features to leverage packaging to differentiate the Rx and OTC pharmaceutical brands behind the counter, on the shelf, or in the home. It offers a unique portfolio of products, from folding cartons to labels and leaflets/inserts. The company offers custom-made pharmaceutical carton solutions and has two segments: corrugated packaging and consumer packaging. WestRock operates on three continents and 13 countries with over 30 facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America, focused exclusively on healthcare packaging.

The other prominent pharmaceutical packaging companies include the following:

ACG, Airnov, AVI Global Plast, BD, Bilcare, Borosil, CCL Industries, Coesia, Drug Plastics Group, DWK Life Sciences, LOG, Meghmani Group, Neelam Global, Nolato, Nemera, PolyCine, RENOLIT, Schur Flexibles Holding, Specialty Polyfilms, SGD Pharma, SCHOTT, Sippex IV bags, SUPER OLEFINS, West Pharmaceutical Services, Wihuri Group.