Pakex: a business success story

Graham Lampard reviews the latest developments in the pharmaceutical packaging industry that were on show at the triennial Pakex exhibition

Pakex 2001 returned to Birmingham's NEC during April and was visited by more than 29,000 people coming from 80 countries. They were doing business with the 1442 exhibiting companies from 34 countries.

Although the majority of the exhibitors were from the food, confectionery, brewing and beverages sectors, accounting for over 80% of the exhibitors, a number of companies were concerned with the pharmaceutical packaging industry.

New technology is one of the driving forces behind improvements in performance, functionality and customer service. Companies wanting to sell to the pharmaceutical industry were showing machines that are easy-to-use, accurate and reliabile.

Logopak International was exhibiting an on-line maintenance and service call system which, by connecting two machines to an ISDN line, enabled the company to demonstrate 'remote access' at the show. In real-life situations this would allow the company to access Logopak machines, via an ISDN connection, anywhere in the world.

The checkweigher was much in evidence at Pakex with Driver Southall displaying its updated range of checkweigher systems. The P2000 series features a front-facing digital touch screen control panel, positioned at eye-level for easy programming. The new generation machine is a follow-up to the P1000 series, which is still selling well. Driver Southall has recently sold P1000 checkweighers to Brecon Pharmaceuticals.

Masterfil was displaying new filling and capping machines, which included its latest automatic filling machines. Brian Potipher, UK sales director, said, 'We've modernised our products, improved efficiency and performance and yet we remain highly competitive in price.'

Also involved in liquid filling is Packaging Overhaul. It launched a new-compact liquid filler. The Nu-fill liquid filling machine combines a proven gear pump filling technique with the latest electronic control systems.

Adelphi Manufacturing's S400 fully-automatic tube filling and closing machine has been upgraded to meet the strict pharmaceutical standards. The machine is one of a range of seven, all of which handle collapsible metal or plastic/laminate tubes.

A number of features make the S400 suitable for meeting the most stringent of standards. These include the tube cup holders, which are oriented from the underside to avoid contamination from particulates and quick release fittings to enable easy access for maintenance.

new weighing machines

With the focus on ease-of-use, Lock Inspection Systems was showcasing a number of products from its growing portfolio. Visitors had the opportunity to see the newly launched WeighChek range of checkweighers and bespoke MET 30+ metal detectors. The machine's display panel is simple to operate with the panel being fully rotatable and tiltable to suit the operator's needs.

The MET 30+ series of metal detectors feature electronics which, according to the company, provide the user with excellent precision. High-speed sampling and interrogation of the process signal ensure optimum sensitivity levels are attained.

Schenck Process has added the Disomat B plus to its range of advanced electronic weighing machines. The compact weighing terminal has been designed for use in a range of applications.

The machine's high resolution and a measuring speed of up to 132 measurements/s can cater for the most difficult of weighing operations.

Minute quantities of pharmaceutical powders can now be dosed to a claimed accuracy of 0.5% using Sussex & Berkshire's SD-1 micro-doser. The auger-based system, developed by German manufacturer Optima, offers a dosing range of 0.01 to 20g and is operated either on a timed-fill volumetric principle or as a gravimetric weigher, equipped with a high accuracy load cell.

Mettler Toledo was showing a number of products at Pakex. For the pharma industry, it has a new service, which will enable the consumer to comply with minimum weight regulations.

In order to avoid potential errors when weighing small samples and to stay compliant with USP requirements, the company launched its unique Minweigh Verification Service.

The service has been developed in conjunction with pharmaceutical companies, in response to FDA requirements. As part of the new service, a Mettler Toledo engineer determines the minimum sample weight for all the company's balances according to that company's quality requirements or those set down by USP. A traceable certificate is then issued and all the balances are labelled with the minimum net sample weight.

The company also showed its CombiChecker, a combined Safeline metal detector and Garvens checkweigher. It allows weights to be measured and metal-contaminated products to be detected quickly and precisely.

Two pushers ensure the rejection of 'bad' products so that metal-contaminated and off-weight products can be rejected separately.

labelling improvements

Pakex is a good place to launch a new image and Denny Bros took that opportunity with a change in corporate image. Barry Denny, managing director, said, '2001 is a year of evolution for us at Denny Bros. We needed a new group logo to use across our range and feel that the new device embraces all the top quality images of all our brands.'

The company was also marketing its Fix-a-Form multi page labels. Katrina Hawker, Denny's marketing manager, said, 'We're here to help the manufacturers communicate with their customers. Whatever message they need to deliver, we can deliver it.'

Also concerned with the amount of information that can be delivered on a bottle, Kenilworth Products was showing the Spinformation rotating label, which is a multi-faceted interactive labelling solution for the pharmaceutical and neutraceutical industries. The rotating label features a fixed inner information sleeve, which is revealed through a window on a revolving outer label.

MAP80 unveiled a new pharmaceutical version of its Prisym2000 labelling software, which takes full advantage of the advances offered by Microsoft's Windows 2000. The new version meets the latest requirements of the FDA's 21 CFR 11 rules regarding electronic records and electronic signatures.

Also making life easier is Pago, whose new labelling system allows enhanced networking potential and the latest RFID technology. The Pagomat 15 RFID is the first RFID labelling machine in the world. Not only can the labels be printed and dispensed automatically, but the data can also be simultaneously stored, changed or deleted on an integral chip.

Weber Marketing Systems has extended its range of advanced high-resolution inkjet printers with the launch of a new model, the LegiJet ML 128. Capable of printing excellent quality readable barcodes, it uses advanced piezoelectric technology to deliver up to four lines of variable information at 200dpi on both porous and non-porous substrates.

Willett was at Pakex and it has developed the Willett 400 series to meet demanding coding requirements in a range of industrial environments.

The Willett 460m is designed to produce codes down to 0.1mm height aimed at meeting the exacting coding requirements of the pharmaceutical and other manufacturing industries.

IBA Sterilization and Ionization provided contract ethylene oxide sterilisation services to the medical device and pharmaceutical industries.

Its services include sterilisation, process development, validation, cycle optimisation and parametric release, together with a comprehensive range of microbiological and analytical testing.

At Pakex, the company was displaying data on the various technologies possible for sterilisation and ionisation. These include electron-beam, X-ray, ethylene oxide and cobalt-60 irradiation.

The air cargo frame from Briggs of Burton is a flexible alternative to IBCs when airfreighting high value loads. The use of drums can reduce the load and unload costs of IBCs and the light and robust aluminium frame system prevents product loss from the drum system at altitude.

The unit can be supplied with four 200l or eight 100l 'open' top drums, complete with quick release lids and sanitary seals. A customs tag out option is available.

Drums can be supplied in stainless steel or aluminium ; in a variety of finishes, including to pharmaceutical standard. They can be custom sized and swaged as required ; and a full range of drum handling accessories such as heaters, mixers, trolleys and lifts is available ; some of which were at the show.

Custom applications such as bulk vaccine transport can be catered for by special sizing, insulation and lid options. The system is fully proven with several hundred units in service. UN certification and full validation are available if required.

internet information

One notable launch was Pakexstore.com, a new industry web portal that went live on 1 May.

The site will provide a single source of industry information that includes an information zone provided by Pira International, with packaging materials price data and a weekly news update covering industry innovations, market trends and compaany intelligence. Links to on-line technical advice and an e-bookstore of packaging titles complete the overview of the industry.

SkermaNet.com is a new internet portal for the pharmaceutical equipment industry that is powered by Bid.Com International, a global provider of dynamic pricing solutions. Designed to be the starting point for organisations that want to buy, sell, trade or source capital equipment, SkermaNet will feature content-rich product and vendor listings.

Users will be able to search for products, identify vendors, list products for sale and review product information.

It will also offer companies a storefront. This is a means for the company to provide the browser with a detailed account of their current products, facilities and company details.

Although the database will store a large amount of information (2,000 companies at the launch), it is the storefronts that allow individual companies to maximise their products and presence.

According to the organisers, the overall feeling of the exhibitors was that the audience had come to Pakex 2001 with purchasing in mind. Visitor figures showed that 32% of them had direct purchasing responsibility of over 100k. In addition, the organisers said that 67% of the attendees were at chairman, managing director, director or manager level.

Both Reed Exhibitions and the exhibitors are now turning their attention to the next Pakex in 2004. Well over 160 companies have already committed to the next event.

Reed's marketing manager Paul Byrom commented, 'The event focused on providing packaging solutions and the effect was that we were visited by the highest quality of visitor ever.

'Together with our exhibitors, we provided a forum and atmosphere in which business could be conducted.'