Pharmapack 2023: exhibitor interview - Tjoapack on emerging packaging trends

At Pharmapack Europe 2023, we spoke to some of our exhibitors about the products they were showcasing at this year's event, and asked for their insights into the packaging market for the year ahead. 

Please introduce yourself and your work at Tjoapack

Pieter Vercruysse – VP of Customer Success & Supply Chain at Tjoapack.

I joined Tjoapack in 2009, and I have held several roles within the company, including Quality Assurance /Qualified Person (QA/QP) services, Innovation Manager, and Director of Operations. Today, I oversee the effective functioning of Tjoapack’s global supply chain operations. I am responsible for key account management, implementation of new products and processes, artwork, data management, and customer services. My role involves monitoring customer satisfaction levels and addressing any issues or concerns they may have and making sure customer orders are fulfilled on time and to the required quality standards. 

What have you brought to Pharmapack this year? Please give some background on your work?

We attended Pharmapack this year to share news about our new pre-filled syringe and vials packaging lines; our two new high-speed production lines for oral solids; and the ongoing improvements in our production facilities, both in Europe and US.

What is unique about your products and service that your customers really love?

Our 30 years’ expertise and the flexibility of our packaging solutions is what our customers value most since we can perform not only commercial supply packaging (including both high and small volumes), but also more complex projects, including the packaging of more sensitive niche products. 

Using the latest technologies, we are continuously looking to improve our offering and the wider supply chain. Quality is at the core of everything we do, so that we can maintain the quality of a drug product. Our expert solutions are specifically designed to form a safer and more connected supply chain. Packaging not only protects a drug from physical damage, but also from biological degradation. 

What do you think are the key packaging trends we need to keep an eye out for in 2023?
 
Pharma packaging companies are exploring more innovative and sustainable packaging solutions to reduce the environmental impact of their products. Personalisation and customised solutions are evolving not only in drug development, but in pharma packaging as well. Packaging that is customised to a patient's needs can help improve medication adherence. 

With new biological drug medications coming to the market we can observe a rising demand for innovative pharma packaging solutions that will not impact the potency or effectiveness of medications.

There is also a trend towards the further automation of pharmaceutical packaging solutions.

There’s been a focus on sustainability here at Pharmapack this year, and in the industry, how are you incorporating some of these aspects into your work?

We are a contract packaging company and what we do is largely guided by our clients. In our facilities, we are looking to reduce energy consumption.

We are trying to help by minimising waste in terms of unsustainable packaging, or looking at buying materials that are close to our facilities. In the Netherlands our material suppliers are very close to our facilities, which minimises transportation and as a result our carbon footprint.

Any further comments? 

We have invested in our facility in the Netherlands and are planning to invest in our facility in North America as well to bring the automation level of both facilities to the same point.

We are following the trends, entering the injectables market, and we’ve moved to fully automated machines with capacity for 12 million vials and eight million syringes. 

See our blog from Pharmapack Europe for more on the key content to catch up on.