Adapting to new trends in outsourcing

Adapting to new trends

By Emma Verkaik, Membership & Marketing Director of the BCMPA

Outsourcing partners are delivering for the latest pharmaceutical and healthcare packaging demands.

he requirement from brand owners and retailers alike for innovation, security and sustainability in packaging from the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector has always been strong, but recent changes in enduser demands and the impact of the COVID pandemic have accelerated this push across the industry.

Changing retail The exponential increase in home delivery, exacerbated by the closure of high street outlets, lockdowns and the increase in numbers working from home, has been sector wide. This has led to strong demand from retailers for a rapid recalibration from BCMPA members in how to satisfy their exact requirements, including products like sachet/ single dose packaging, and the development of letterbox-friendly packaging solutions, to provide lightweight, economical, and easily distributable products at scale. Clare Campbell, Managing Director of Vitrition, comments, “With the growth in demand for home delivery, especially in the sectors of vitamins and food supplements, we’re focusing on expanding our capacity for the production of protective, single dose sachets and blister packs, as well as developing alternative formulations such as powders, to meet our clients’ requirements for convenient and postable products.”

Supply chain resilience The urgent need for the production and despatch of millions of COVID test kits further added to the workload of contract manufacturers, packers and third-party fulfilment, with increased demand placing strain on packaging, raw materials and in-house labour. Additionally, several members have engaged in discussions with clients in respect of longer term forecasted volume requirements, to facilitate contingency planning. The establishment of contingent stock holding and alternative supply chain partners has been key for members in maintaining production and delivery targets, and the recent Brexit departure has led to many sourcing UKbased supply options wherever possible.

“Like us, many firms in our industry are now following a ‘dual sourcing’ approach, with back-up suppliers throughout their supply chain,” confirms Gareth Lewis, Managing Director of PharmaPac. “This is especially important with high value, long lead time products and packaging items.”

Innovation and accountability The process of innovation in packaging is complex, as it must address several disparate areas of development, from convenience, economy and efficacy to security,

Like us, many firms in our industry are now following a ‘dual sourcing’ approach, with back-up suppliers throughout their supply chain.

sustainability and brand fidelity. Recent changes in packaging needs have put innovation at the forefront of members’ strategic planning, focusing on the need for the trialling of different packaging materials, enhanced patient engagement and security.

Increasingly, new areas of product development are also being explored, including in-house design services for clients, and the use of 3D digital printing to produce bespoke solutions in days, rather than months, as had previously been the case.

This level of service may soon become the norm in the sector, says Ian Robinson, Business Development Director at Chester Medical, “Our sister company, Addition Design, has seen significant growth in enquiries over the last 18 months from clients seeking to develop innovative, cost-effective and speedy solutions to their packaging development, as they adapt to the changing needs of the industry.”

Alongside the strict operational demands of producing pharmaceuticals within MHRA guidelines, some members are seeing much greater demand for track & trace on packaging to meet the demands of the latest global legislation. The growth in ensuring these sophisticated requirements, particularly for Russia, and the need to increase the ability (across the supply chain) to identify counterfeit products more easily, has seen businesses enhance their capabilities and capacity greatly in the last year to meet the requirements of their clients.

Interactive packaging Allied to the drive towards enhanced security and safety in packaging, is the use of smart packaging. Also known as interactive packaging, intelligent packaging, or simply active packaging, this innovative approach adds another dimension of functionality, enabling the packs themselves to provide information about their contents through codes and reader technology.

This in turn contributes to improved patient adherence and engagement and confidence in the authenticity of the product and its packaging. Several approaches can be taken, with the use of holograms and smart inks being amongst the most common.

Smart packaging is particularly effective for more complex medical devices, providing more intuitive opening instructions. Chester Medical’s Ian Robinson highlights this, adding that, “It is particularly valuable in the area of products for surgical use, where it can indicate the correct order of opening during operating procedures.”

Sustainability matters With sustainability and green credentials becoming of increasing importance for many types of packaging, members are building it into the very early stages of new product development, finding it easier to deliver effective results from new designs, rather than the ‘retro adaptation’ of existing lines. Progress is being made in several other areas, including reducing tray weights, sourcing of new more sustainable materials, and maximising fill sizes.

Regarding the delicate question of plastics, still seen in a negative light by many consumers, there is widespread consensus that the removal of this material from the process entirely will be challenging. It was also felt that the focus on recycling by consumers as the ideal sustainability solution needs improved education and communication, particularly concerning materials that have been in contact with certain products and have been crosscontaminated, and which are then no longer suitable for recycling.

Bright future Whilst supply chain challenges and the impact of Brexit remain significant and testing for our industry, and the relaxation of COVID restrictions potentially impacting on the buoyancy of the home delivery sector, the agility and adaptability shown by BCMPA members to serve the fast-changing needs of pharmaceutical and healthcare clients, bodes well for the maintenance of recent growth.

The future is viewed with unanimous positivity. Clare Campbell of Vitrition concludes, “There is an acceptance from clients and manufacturers alike that packaging needs will continue to change, and an increasing number of suppliers are supporting this. Working together, I believe that collaboration and investment in new technology will provide many of the answers we seek.”