Live from HCP EXPO: How Medical Marijuana Can Benefit from Flexible Packaging

The marijuana industry may still be facing hurdles, but processors can take many cues from conventional food and medical packaging. An expert weighs in on trends, child safety and regulatory issues.

Sep 29th, 2017

Presto Products Company

Flexible Packaging for Infinite CBD Gummies

Popularity of Cannabis Formats Evolving, Packaging Follows Suit

Dried flower is giving way to creams, gels, dried teas/powders and inhalers, products that doubled in growth in two years’ time. Packaging for cannabis is expanding to meet this growth.

Glass-Like Plastic for Injectables

Day 2 Innovation Stage at PACK EXPO East in Philadelphia introduced a film from Japan that delivers same performance as glass for parenteral drugs.

Auto injector systems like the OPTIMA AIM from OPTIMA automation can subsequently be scaled from semi-automatic to fully automatic processes. They are flexible enough to use for injectors from various manufacturers.

Precision and flexibility: Assembly machines for pen and auto injectors

OPTIMA automation at Pharmapack 2020.

Josh Kirschbaum

WWP Names Chief Executive Officer

WWP, a provider of cosmetic packaging components, tubes, and full-service turnkey solutions, named Josh Kirschbaum CEO.

PocketPills Online Pharmacy PocketPacks

Canadian Online Pharmacy Boosts Patient Adherence, Reduces Packaging Waste

The company uses a simple packaging system, able to deliver most drugs, and provides free shipping of packs with easy, detailed instructions, as well as regular consultations to improve patient experience.

Multi-Parameter Inspection Drives the Growth of Medication Pouch Inspection Systems Market

Multi-Parameter Inspection Drives the Growth of Medication Pouch Inspection Systems Market

Report foresees an increase in the global medical pouch inspection systems market at a CAGR of 8% from 2019 through 2029.

Cama Group designed a complete line for a major biopharmaceutical company, where the packaging machine loads stickpacks of single-serve powders into a flip-top box design.

Turnkey Line Loads Pharmaceutical Powder Stickpacks into Flip-Top Boxes

As single-serve sachets continue to grow in healthcare, Cama Group developed a robotic packaging line designed for efficiency, precise handling/closing and ergonomic line access for operators.

ChargeBag PE-SBV made with HiPure ULP7

ChargePoint Technology: Powder Transfer Single Use Package

Together, the ChargePoint SUP and ChargeBag PE-S form a high performance, single use package for the contained and sterile transfer of pharmaceutical powders between manufacturing process steps or even facilities.

Willow is described as the world’s first all-in-one wearable breast pump that fits inside a bra, it incorporates a doughnut-shaped pouch/bag that holds breast milk.

Shaped Pouch Proves Integral to Unique Wearable Breast Pump

Described as the world’s first all-in-one wearable breast pump that fits inside a bra, it incorporates a doughnut-shaped pouch/bag that holds breast milk. An oval cutout in the center of the bag makes it easy to hold and fit neatly within the pump.

Vantage bagging machine, thermal printer and tabletop liquid unit-dose machine aim to increase operational efficiency in hospital, pharmacy and repackaging settings.

Euclid Medical Products: Pharmaceutical Packaging Equipment

Vantage bagging machine, thermal printer and tabletop liquid unit-dose machine aim to increase operational efficiency in hospital, pharmacy and repackaging settings.

ProAmpac: QuadFlex Pouch package format offers applications in the personal care market and for secondary packaging where it could replace boxes for individually packaged cleaning/makeup removal wipes and pads.

ProAmpac: QuadFlex Pouch

Package format offers applications in the personal care market and for secondary packaging where it could replace boxes for individually packaged cleaning/makeup removal wipes and pads.

The redesign encompasses 101 SKUs across 11 sub-brands.

Natural Supplements Brand Gets a Transformative Redesign

Quantum Health swaps drug-store efficacy cues with a focus on nature for the packaging design of its natural health supplements, resulting in double-digit sales growth for the brand.

The AuraSeal system is designed to ensure seal integrity and increase overall efficiency for organizations serving the medical device, healthcare, and life sciences markets. In addition to being highly-efficient, the system is inexpensive to establish; a low-power “black light” and a visual inspection station are the only additional equipment required.

Seal Integrity Compliance Without Package Destruction

Rollprint’s AuraSeal shines—or fluoresces—on sealed areas, allowing easy visual detection of voids.

Hassia Flexibag

Servo Motion-Controlled Sachet Machine Runs at 1,500/min

The new Flexibag Si-600 packs liquids, pastes, powders, or granular or tablet products in sachets with a maximum film width of 600 mm.

Bagger’s Predictive Maintenance Minimizes Downtime

Pregis introduces two new Sharp baggers: one automatic model with predictive maintenance, and one easy-to-operate tabletop unit.

Sigpack HML: Whether as a stand-alone solution or integrated into a line, Bosch’s new horizontal flow wrapping machine ensures flexible processes and safe hermetic packages. Photo Credit: Bosch

Bosch Packaging Technology: Horizontal Flow Wrapping Machine

Reaching speeds up to 350 packages/min, the Sigpack HML offers reliable sealing in a compact footprint.

Company to demonstrate its next generation of seasoning, conveying, weighing, packaging, and inspection systems at PACK EXPO International.

Heat and Control: FastBack, Spray Dynamics, Ishida and CEIA

Company to demonstrate its next generation of seasoning, conveying, weighing, packaging, and inspection systems at PACK EXPO International.

MVA3 Pharma is designed for sachets containing granulated, liquid, paste, powdered or solid pharmaceuticals in a single-dose format.

ProMach: Compact VF/F/S for Pharma

MVA3 Pharma is designed for sachets containing granulated, liquid, paste, powdered or solid pharmaceuticals in a single-dose format.

The Force of Nature ethos is brought to life with abstract illustrations of the natural environment at its most impressive.

Sports Nutrition Packaging Captures ‘The Force of Nature’

New branding and packaging draws a link between the potency of Tribe’s all-natural sports nutrition products, the joy of the outdoors, and the overwhelming power of the natural world.

Medical device machine provides years of trouble-free operation, 360-degree view of key operations, and custom features.

Ossid: 8000M Thermoform/Fill/Seal Machine

Medical device machine provides years of trouble-free operation, 360-degree view of key operations, and custom features.

More in Flexible packaging

Amcor wins two 2018 Alufoil Trophies for developments in pharmaceutical packaging for sustainability, convenience and efficiency.

Amcor: Award-Winning Sustainable Packaging

Company wins two 2018 Alufoil Trophies for developments in pharmaceutical packaging for sustainability, convenience and efficiency.

Consumers can now recycle supplement and vitamin packaging through Twinlab’s Supplement the Earth Recycling Program, while earning money for non-profits, schools, or charitable organizations.

Supplement Maker Launches Recycling Program

Consumers can now recycle supplement and vitamin packaging through Twinlab’s Supplement the Earth Recycling Program, while earning money for non-profits, schools, or charitable organizations.

By putting patients at the center of its design development, this conceptual pouch employs shape and a dispensing device to help with medication delivery and adherence.

BeeBetter Single-Use Pouch Aims to ‘Help the Medicine Go Down’

By putting patients at the center of its design development, this conceptual pouch employs shape and a dispensing device to help with medication delivery and adherence.

DirectSeal is a film with sealant technology, which was designed to eliminate the need for a matching coated substrate for applications including form-fill-seal, header bags, and peel pouches. PC: Berry Global

Berry Global: Medical Packaging and Film with Sealant Technology

DuraMed and DirectSeal offer barrier and breathability with a uniform seal for tamper evidence in medical product packaging.

Multilayer, heat-stable composite of polyester and polypropylene copolymers is a steam-sterilizable chevron pouch that maintains durability and peel characteristics after the heat cycle.

Rollprint Packaging Products: Steam-Sterilizable Composite

Multilayer, heat-stable composite of polyester and polypropylene copolymers is a steam-sterilizable chevron pouch that maintains durability and peel characteristics after the heat cycle.

With automatic splicing, pre-applied zipper film is easy to incorporate into existing packaging lines.

Butler Automatic: Splicers for Reclosable Packaging

With automatic splicing, pre-applied zipper film is easy to incorporate into existing packaging lines.

Designed for low-to-moderate production rates for industries including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, health and beauty and others.

American Film & Machinery: Shrink Sleeve/Tamper Band Equipment

Designed for low-to-moderate production rates for industries including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, health and beauty and others.

Barry-Wehmiller to Enhance Focus on Flexible Packaging and End-of-line Integrated Systems

The company's two new divisions, BW Flexible Systems and BW Integrated Systems, will debut Jan. 1.

Combined packaging machinery offerings at PACK EXPO Las Vegas represent the first joint exhibit since Pregis acquired Sharp. Seen here is the AirSpeed HC Versa hybrid cushioning machine.

Pregis/Sharp: Protective Packaging/Bagging Equipment

Combined packaging machinery offerings at PACK EXPO Las Vegas represent the first joint exhibit since Pregis acquired Sharp.

BioPouch, powered by a NANO-VpCI, protects metal parts in a non-ventilating space.

Cortec Corp.: Vapor Phase Corrosion Inhibitor

BioPouch, powered by a NANO-VpCI, protects metal parts in a non-ventilating space.

Manual bag/box press features flexographic ink system and prints text, barcodes, logos, etc., in one color.

Dalemark: Model 900-MBP Press

Manual bag/box press features flexographic ink system and prints text, barcodes, logos, etc., in one color.

Developed to allow entry-level line workers to manage the tamper-evident banding process, the machine permits full interior access for easy setup and fast changeover.

Deitz Co.: Tamper-Evident Neck Bander

Developed to allow entry-level line workers to manage the tamper-evident banding process, the machine permits full interior access for easy setup and fast changeover.