Surepharm Services’ Blister Line Boosts Productivity

A producer of solid-dose generic and branded human and veterinary medicinal and healthcare formulations, UK-based Contract Manufacturing Organization Surepharm Services Ltd. streamlined its productivity by installing the Blister Express Center 300 (BEC 300) from Uhlmann Packaging Systems LP.

Surepharm required a blister line that would enable quick, easy and reliable changeovers to meet the goal of packaging at least 10 medicines in varying pack sizes. It also sought to maximize flexibility to meet its diverse range of contracts.

Uhlmann’s BEC 300 is a combined blister and cartoning module that processes blisters up to 95 x 145 mm in size at speeds of up to 300/min, and cartons at 150/min. The module also provides Surepharm with the ability to develop format parts for specially shaped solid-dose products, as well as additional feeders.

The compact BEC 300 features a fast format, three-dimensional format changeover in less than 30 minutes, using only a few lightweight tools. Resetting can be carried out without the use of any special tools, with new format parts yielding simple insertion and positioning. The unit is described as user-friendly, easy to clean, and can be operated by one person controlling a touchscreen.

Surepharm also uses Uhlmann’s S 3015 stretch-banding machine downstream from the BEC 300.

“Uhlmann and the BEC 300 have exceeded our expectations,” says Julian Richardson, Managing Director at Surepharm. “The BEC 300’s efficiency, fast-format changeover, and user-friendliness are ideal, as is Uhlmann’s willingness and flexibility to meet any future needs we may have.”