Sustainable packaging solutions for the future

The CPHI opens its doors on October 8 – this time in Milan. Once again, SÜDPACK MEDICA is among the exhibitors. Under the slogan “We enable circularity in healthcare”, the packaging specialist will highlight its innovative top product PharmaGuard® at booth number 20F58. The recyclable blister concept based on polypropylene (PP) is a groundbreaking packaging solution for hard pharmaceutical products or nutraceuticals. It was recently nominated for the German Sustainability Award in the category Products 2025 / Resources.

Following the German Packaging Award 2023 in the Sustainability category and the World Star Global Packaging Award 2024, this is the third time since its market launch that PharmaGuard® has won over a jury of industry ex-perts. This underlines the significance of the film concept as a trailblazing advance in sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry. The focus on essentially one polymer, i.e. polypropylene, means the overall concept ensures simple, effective recyclability. This makes it a major contributor to a circular economy in the industry. According to an LCA conducted by Sphera, PharmaGuard is also associated with a greatly reduced climate impact (in CO2-eq) of up to 47% as well as lower energy and water consumption compared to other popular blister solutions composed of PVC/PVdC and aluminum.

PharmaGuard® sets new industry standards

Other aspects that make the thermoforming film of the packaging concept so unique are its high transparency, excellent water vapor barrier, stable shrinkage behavior and wider sealing range than conventional polypropyl-ene. A further advantage is simple, secure sealing without additional sealing coating. The result is a genuinely firm closure which saves time and costs and also benefits the environment.

Also attractive to packaging companies are the superior processing proper-ties of the PP film, which is compatible with various packaging systems and can be processed on existing machines without significant investments. The even thickness distribution during thermoforming ensures a consistent barrier over the entire bottom web and therefore high product protection. PharmaGuard achieves practically zero fluctuation in packaging quality.

Excellent packaging performance

When developing the fully recyclable mono-solution, SÜDPACK MEDICA al-so took care to ensure childproof yet user-friendly unpacking (also for elderly users). “Just like conventional packaging solutions, a blister concept with PP-based top and bottom webs must ensure it is easy to pop out the tablets or capsules whatever their size, shape and type. It must also take the target user group into account. That can only be achieved with huge application expertise and experience,” emphasizes Thomas Freis, the Managing Director. The mono-material used here is also free from phthalates, vinyl, PFAS and halogens, making it safe for human health. Another reason for pharmaceutical companies to choose PharmaGuard is the absence of nitrosamines.

“Sustainable pharmaceutical packagings also improve environmental impact!”

At the CPHI, Jürgen Bodenmüller and Pieter van Gool from SÜDPACK Medica are among the speakers in the “Sustainable Futures” series of talks. They will present in-depth information on the advantages of PharmaGuard – and take industry visitors on a fascinating journey toward a sustainable future in pharmaceutical packagings. The presentation “Form – Fill – Protect – Comply with PharmaGuard” takes place on October 8, 2024 from 1:45 pm to 2:10 pm in Hall 6 at booth 6A28.