2Sustain

Every day, it seems, there’s a new headline about H1N1, so it’s no surprise I’m thinking more and more about the pharmaceutical supply chain these days –and that’s why this Q and A with Michael Rubenstein, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer at Alcan Packaging, caught my eye.

Alcan Packaging is a global leader in specialty packaging, and in the PharmTech.com interview, Rubenstein discusses how the company is addressing sustainability issues in the pharmaceutical packaging supply chain.

He stresses that there are “no silver bullets” for more sustainable packaging. Instead, manufacturers have to weigh context –particularly in the pharmaceutical sector where compliance, durability, and functionality of packaging are the top priorities.

“In many cases, biodegradable materials are just not (yet) fit for purpose in high-demanding applications in the pharmaceutical industry,” Rubenstein says in the article. “It is important is to focus on actual performance and not on the perception of sustainability alone.”

Even so, he also reports a clear trend in pharmaceuticals to focus on sustainability.  Packaging technology is evolving, and Rubenstein says successful companies will learn to capitalize on this trend.

“Sustainability is developing to be a differentiator for leading packaging converters and their customers,” he concludes. “Additionally, we also know that in the long term these initiatives will also deliver cost savings, specifically with increasing material and energy prices. Sustainability is a strategic investment for the future, both for the cost side as well as for market success.”

I agree. Sustainable packaging is the fastest-growing segment of the global packaging industry and is likely to comprise nearly one-third of the total market by 2014.  As a result, it is becoming increasingly important for you to turn a critical eye toward your packaging processes.