Cold form blister packs offer an exceptional degree of protection to pharmaceutical products that may degrade through exposure to light, water vapour and other diffusing substances such as gases and odours.

As well as providing such a functional benefit through a virtually complete barrier, they also allow a very attractive, contemporary, clean presentation, giving consumers confidence in your pack.

All blister packs offer the advantages of convenience and improved patient compliance, as well as providing a finished, complete pack direct from the manufacturer to the end user.

In addition, suitably printed, they allow you a superb marketing opportunity to establish your brand identity in the patient's mind, improving the chances of your product gaining repeat purchase / prescription.

Originally developed by our sister company at Singen, Germany, Formpack is an adhesive bonded multi- layer laminate with each layer contributing its own properties to the overall structure. A
standard specification includes a layer of nylon (for support), a layer of aluminium foil (for barrier) and a layer of PVC (for sealing to the lidding foil).

Types of cold form laminate

Packs are created through stretching this laminate mechanically with male dies, moulding the aluminium-plastic compound to form pockets. These are filled with the pharmaceutical product e.g. tablets or capsules, and then sealed, using heat and pressure, with the lidding foil, which is coated on the inside face with a sealing lacquer.

The product is removed from the pack by the consumer pressing it from the pocket side through the lidding foil. Packaging materials are supplied in reels - dimensions depend upon the packaging machine being used.

Cross section illustration

Initial design is critical to the successful production of cold form blisters. Using the extensive technical expertise and resources of our sister operations in Germany and Switzerland where the laminate is produced, we are able to offer unmatched technical support and advice on the development of your packs.

We have devised a specially written computer program (STREC) matched to our materials, which can establish your optimum package dimensions and tooling design. In addition, we work in close co-operation with all major blister machine manufacturers to ensure that the right solution is provided for you.