Constantia Flexibles Urges Equal Focus on Performance and Sustainability
As climate change continues to be a global concern, consumers and brands increasingly focus on supporting packaged goods with the smallest possible environmental footprint. This trend is driven by the belief that reducing the amount of waste produced by packaging can help protect the environment. In response to this demand, many companies are investing in sustainable packaging solutions designed to minimize waste and reduce the environmental impact of their products. One such package printer and converter — Constantia Flexibles — is urging the pre-packaged pharmaceutical industry to remember that printed packaging needs to be performance-based in addition to eco-efficient.
Pim Vervaat, CEO, Constantia Flexibles | Credit: Constantia Flexibles
When it comes to eco-efficient packaging, it’s essential to ensure that the packaging meets its performance objectives. Otherwise, you’re just making more trash. A simple concept that is often overlooked. That’s why an equal focus is part of Constantia Flexibles’ research and development objectives. Constantia Flexibles CEO Pim Vervaat explains, “In our Research & Development department we place equal importance on the safety and sustainability of our packaging. Our packaging is only fit for the future if it meets both our standards.”
Performance is essential when it comes to developing printed packaging that is resistant to counterfeiting. According to Constantia Flexibles, around 10% to 30% of the world’s medicines are counterfeit. The company also argues the safety and efficacy of medication can only be guaranteed if the outer packaging has identification features and the primary packaging shows counterfeit-proof features. Vervaat adds, “With the PERPETUA and PERPETUA ALTA innovations, we combine both – performance and sustainability.”
PERPETUA: sustainable packaging solution with high barrier properties
PERPETUA is made of recyclable polypropylene-based mono-material. Its excellent barrier properties, the company says, make it ideal for pharmaceuticals. PERPETUA aims to protect products in the best possible way from oxygen, water vapor, and light. This is essential to maintain the efficacy of medicines. In addition, the product line is cyclos-HTP certified, which means that its recyclability is between 90 and 96%, depending on the individual material specification.
PERPETUA ALTA: Recyclable solution with high chemical resistance
The further development of PERPETUA ALTA is based on polypropylene that is recyclable and has a high chemical resistance to pharmaceutical products. PERPETUA ALTA can be used for excessively demanding products from the pharmaceutical and food industries. In addition, the company says, compared to conventional laminates, PERPETUA ALTA is lighter, has higher efficiency, and offers optimal protection against oxygen, water vapor, and light.
Child safety and anti-counterfeiting features for even more security
High-performance packaging protects medicines so that their efficacy is maintained. But safeguarding against counterfeiting and unwanted consumption by children shouldn’t be neglected goals when developing pharmaceutical packaging. To prevent children from getting hold of the contents of medicines, all Constantia Flexibles product lines are available in various child-resistant designs. These can be individually designed and are available with anti-counterfeiting features.
In conclusion, making eco-efficient, high-performance packaging is possible if package printers and converters make it part of their strategies. This approach benefits the environment, print buyers, and package printers and converters. It is important for PSPs and pharmaceutical brands to consider both aspects of their packaging before making decisions to ensure that they are making the best choices.
As editor-in-chief of Packaging Impressions — the leading publication and online content provider for the printed packaging markets — Linda Casey leverages her experience in the packaging, branding, marketing, and printing industries to deliver content that label and package printers can use to improve their businesses and operations.
Prior to her role at Packaging Impressions, Casey was editor-in-chief of BXP: Brand Experience magazine, which celebrated brand design as a strategic business competence. Her body of work includes deep explorations into a range of branding, business, packaging, and printing topics.
Casey’s other passion, communications, has landed her on the staffs of a multitude of print publications, including Package Design, Converting, Packaging Digest, Instant & Small Commercial Printer, High Volume Printing, BXP: Brand Experience magazine, and more. Casey started her career more than three decades ago as news director for WJAM, a youth-oriented music-and-news counterpart to WGCI and part of the Chicago-based station’s AM band presence.
