Pack Expo 2021: Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations’ general manager talks pharma trends and COVID-19

03 Sep 2021 --- Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations (MHI), the US subsidiary of Maruho Corp, is exhibiting its blister machine called Eagle-Omni at Pack Expo 2021 in Las Vegas, US, on September 27-29 (Booth SL-6738). 

As Eagle-Omni meets packaging regulations for medical devices and cannabis specifically, PackagingInsights talks with MHI general manager Benjamin Voelcker about the latest packaging equipment trends in these sectors. He also shares his predictions for the show’s turnout amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Pivoting nimbly”: Trends in blister packs
Several trends in the pharmaceutical packaging sector “play to MHI’s strengths,” Voelcker details. 

“Naturally, the injectables and vial sectors have seen the most demanding disruption and steepest growth, but from our position as blister machinery suppliers, we’ve also been riding that wave.” 

Outside of pharma, the continued growth of the cannabis market, particularly in the US where more and more states are legalizing both medicinal and recreational use, is working in MHI’s favor. 

“Here, cannabidiol (CBD) oral solid dosage formats are diversifying as well as simply exploding in general, and as more players ramp up production, they’ll inevitably need automatic solutions to supplement limited manual labor resources.” 

The Eagle-Omni features deep cavities and is designed to allow manual or fully automated operation.Space-efficient equipment
Notably, pharma manufacturers are taking advantage of the opportunity to reconsider manufacturing infrastructure across the board, such as longer-term planning and more compact equipment. 

To meet these evolving demands, MHI offers blister machines for each level along the production capacity ladder, including its Pack Expo-featured machine Eagle-Omni.

Eagle-Omni, measuring 2 m x 1.6 m, provides a “surprisingly easy floorspace fit for a multi-functional machine,” Voelcker notes. The compact Eagle-Omni offers a format area of 150x95 mm and a forming depth of 30 mm with an upgrade available to 40 mm. 

The machine can produce up to 20 blisters per minute and is suitable for packaging solids, powders, liquids or devices.

The machine handles a wide range of forming materials – including PVC, PVDC, ACLAR, PP, PET and ALU – and all typical lidding substrates including ALU, paper, PVC, PET, and laminates. 

R&D challenges in differentiation
Initially launched in 2019 at WestPack, the Eagle-Omni was the culmination of nearly two years of R&D. “The most challenging aspect was zeroing in on differentiation versus more established competition,” says Voelcker. 

He outlines how the machines stand out due to their robustness despite a small footprint, cost-effectiveness in an increasingly cost-conscious environment, and flexibility to meet various customization demands.

Furthermore, Voelcker points out MHI is the US subsidiary of a larger company based in Japan, where oral solid dose drugs and packaging formats are more uniform. 

“Here, the primary challenge was developing not only the Eagle-Omni but the full range of machines to meet the more varying needs we see in the North American pharma production landscape,” he continues.

MHI tooling.“At the same time, we also knew that the machines we produced needed to be versatile to address several different production stages in and of themselves.”

Predicting the trade show turnout
The pandemic outbreak last year proved tumultuous for an industry heavily reliant on experiencing packaging machinery physically as well as in-person networking. Soon, hybrid events proved a popular alternative.

Although Pack Expo will be taking place physically this year, Voelcker foresees the current Delta variant will yield a smaller-than-typical show turnout.

“That’s simply nobody’s fault. The US and Europe were well on their way back to some semblance of normalcy before the more contagious variant took root. But it’s been inspiring to see everyone forge ahead and give their utmost to maximize our presence at this year’s Pack Expo.”

Regardless, MHI anticipates “quality may trump quantity” at this year’s show. “We’re seeing indications that those folks who are attending have near-term needs in terms of packaging-centric solutions,” Voelcker highlights.

“We expect to come out of this year’s show with several prospective projects on the table. This is especially true due to the increased overall interest in blister packaging applications for oral solid dose medicines and medical devices.”

Also showcasing at Pack Expo 2021 are HexcelPack and Mondi Consumer Flexibles. Ahead of the event, PackagingInsights has already taken a look at both companies’ respective moves in recyclable e-commerce solutions.

By Anni Schleicher