Packaging
Tubular Glass for Asias pharma markets: Gerresheimer presents a diversified and perfected packaging range
Wednesday 13. May 2009 - The central Chinese provincial capital of Xi'an (Shaanxi) is currently the center of focus for the international pharma & life science world: with the trade-fair combination of API China and Interphex China it offers from May 12 to 14 one of the most important trade events in the whole of Asia during 2009.
A wide and highly sophisticated range of pharmaceutical primary packaging awaits visitors to the Gerresheimer Group (Booth A1 215). Its presentation concentrates on tubular glass: the spectrum comprises special containers of every kind and includes the latest design variants for sterile syringes.
The globally active Group is currently represented in China by six production plants for pharma glass – a seventh is shortly to be completed and will be ceremonially opened at the end of May. Gerresheimer Shuangfeng will then have three manufacturing locations: the Chinese specialist in tubular glass ranks today in the Asian region as one of the leading manufacturers of specific vials, ampoules and cartridges. To this wide high-quality range a multifaceted spectrum of syringe systems is added in the presentation: this is staged by the German technology center at Bünde together with a longstanding Chinese marketing partner Guangzhou Huaze. “Innovative developments characterize the range right across all segments”, says Burkhard Lingenberg, Director of Marketing and Communication for the Gerresheimer Group: “We cater for all the varied interests of the specialist public.”
A topical highlight in Xi’an is again the range of Ready-to-Fill syringe systems under the worldwide RTF trademark, comprising a wealth of groundbreaking innovations. Special mention is deserved here for example by the process of baked-on siliconisation which is patented under the name Baked-On RTF: here the silicone oil as the well-proven glide agent for the plunger head is fixed to the glass almost without residue – a step which can significantly improve the stability of sensitive biopharmaceutics. In addition, intelligent syringe accessories such as TERNS (the Rigid Needle Shield made of thermoplastic elastomer) and TELC (the Tamper Evident Luer Lock Closure which is opened by means of a controlled twist action) provide for increased application safety.
In addition to the above, new possibilities for product labeling are of interest. One example is laser coding, for which a single square millimeter of the finger flange on the syringe is sufficient: the process deposits the product ID of each packaging unit in the form of a tiny matrix data field – practically indelibly applied to the glass by laser and readable by scanner at any time. Product information at a glance is on the other hand provided by multicolor printing of syringes, vials and other glass packaging. With heat transfer printing in multicolor, Gerresheimer offers an economic method to distinguish calibrations, product information and barcodes from each other by color – providing a perfect overview on the product and thus also achieving maximum safety in practice.