German pharma packaging specialist Schott has partnered with Canada-based monitoring system provider Smart Skin Technologies to enhance glass integrity in pharmaceutical packaging with the help of big data.
Image: Schott has partnered with Smart Skin Technologies to enhance glass integrity in pharmaceutical packaging. Photo: courtesy of errorfoto at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
Smart Skin has developed an online monitoring system to measure line pressure and 3D orientation of glass packaging during the filling process of pharmaceutical drugs.
By using the system, pharmaceutical firms can reduce packaging defects like scratches and bruises in the glass and particle generation.
The exclusive partnership will see Schott contribute equity capital to Smart Skin Technologies. Both the firms plan to mutually benefit from their sales networks and expertise.
Schott’s Pharmaceutical Systems business vice president for global strategy & innovation Fabian Stöcker said: “By combining Smart Skin’s insights on physical stress on the filling line with our know-how about the behavior of glass as a material, both sides will be able to further improve their offering. Ultimately, we can provide pharma companies with an even better basis to minimize the downtime in production and optimize the yield.”
Smart Skin Technologies CEO Evan Justasson said: “Thanks to its wealth of expertise in the area of pharma packaging and glass, Schott is a natural choice for us as a strategic partner.
“We share the same quality-driven culture and inquisitive nature when it comes to the technical advancements of industrial processes in the digital age. We are excited to see where the mutual synergies of our strategic cooperation lead us.”
Several pharmaceutical companies use Smart Skin Technologies’ big data solution to inspect weak points in the filling line and increase the line performance. The solution is also being utilized to improve efficiency, reduce wastage and minimize downtime.
Through the collaboration, the companies seek to take packaging quality to the next level.
In another development, Schott said it will present a new concept for pharmaceutical vials at this year’s CPhI Worldwide trade show.
The ‘Next Gen Vials’ integrate several features leading to unmatched drug stability for low-fill applications and efficient and cost-competitive fill & finish.