EMA continues its industrial development plan with the installation of a brand new high precision press in its Lailly

We are pleased to announce that our company has surpassed the €10 million annual revenue milestone.

We're thrilled to announce our participation in CPhI 2023, one of the pharmaceutical industry's premier events.

We are thrilled to unveil a pivotal technical partnership with IMD Ltd. - Headquarters - Switzerland, Switzerland.

Over the past decade, the Levant and Middle-East region has faced heightened uncertainty.

📅 Save the date :  24 & 25 Jan 2024

Pharmapack 2024 has wrapped up, and we're filled with gratitude for the incredible engagement and discussions that to

🌍🤝The global market of overseals for Pharma and Life Sciences applications sees 2 European challengers joining their

We've returned from SAFEX  Algiers, bringing back not just unforgettable memories but also hearts full of gratitude.

On the occasion of International Women's Rights Day, we at EMA Pharmaceuticals would like to express our admiration a

Let's celebrate Easter at EMA Pharma with a gourmet nod to our products: for today, our capsules take on a chocolate

The EMA team had the delightful opportunity to welcome Sandeep Kumar Goyal to our facility recently.

• Fully recyclable mono-material structures significantly more economical

• No compromises when it comes to optical and mechanical properties

• Excellent performance in the converting and printing process

• Printing specialist BOBST displays 18-micron film at drupa 2024

Reifenhäuser Blown Film has produced the world's first MDO-PE film just 18 micrometers thick which meets or exceeds all previous market standards in terms of mechanical properties, appearance, and further processing. The film has been produced on Reifenhäuser EVO blown film lines using the patented EVO Ultra Stretch MDO technology and has been developed and tested for practical suitability in collaboration with raw material manufacturer LG Chem and printing specialist BOBST. The new 18-micron film reduces the amount of material used by around 25 percent compared to previous film thicknesses of 25 microns. This makes the production of fully recyclable mono-material structures significantly more economical.

Christoph Lettowsky, Senior Product Manager at Reifenhäuser Blown Film, explains: "Machine builders and manufacturers have been pursuing the same goal for some time: not to use more material in fully recyclable All-PE solutions than in conventional PET-PE laminates. Technically, this is achieved due to the different densities of PET film and MDO-PE film by replacing the 12 µm PET film with a 16 to 17 µm MDO-PE film. With the reduction to 18 µm, we have taken a significant step in this direction - with further downgauging potential for the future."

High process stability thanks to EVO Ultra Stretch

This leap in development was made possible by the combination of MDO Ultra Stretch technology with suitable raw materials. Thanks to the patented position of the Ultra Stretch unit directly in the system's haul-off, the film is stretched from the first heat. This makes the process particularly reliable: Reifenhäuser has produced the 18-micron MDO-PE film stably and reproducibly over many hours in the test runs.

Mechanical and optical properties reach or exceed market standard

Despite the low film thickness, producers do not have to make any compromises when it comes to optical and mechanical properties. With a modulus of elasticity MD exceeding 1,400 MPa and a modulus of elasticity TD exceeding 1,100 MPa, the 18-micron MDO-PE film achieves the current market standard for stretched PE films. With a haze of less than 5 percent, the 18-micron MDO-PE film performs even better in terms of optical properties than the market standard, which is 6 to 7 percent.

Print results impress BOBST

The 18-micron MDO-PE film also performed excellently in the converting process and exceeded all expectations of printing specialist BOBST. Davide Rossello, Head of Competence Center and Process Manager Gravure at BOBST says: "The way this extra-thin 18-micron MDO-PE blown film behaves on our printing machines is unique on the market. We have printed the film at high speeds of up to 500 m/min with excellent results in terms of printing quality and register performances. But even more impressively, we were able to demonstrate the quality of our machine when printing in the BOBST oneECG process, achieving excellent print results at 300 m/min (and above)."

Samples will be exhibited at drupa 2024 in Dusseldorf (Germany)

Printed samples of the new 18-micron MDO-PE film will be on display at drupa 2024 from May 28 to June 7 at the BOBST stand B30-1 in hall 10. Mohamed Timol, expert for MDO processes and applications, will be present at the stand as Reifenhäuser's contact person. Interested parties are cordially invited to see the quality of the film for themselves

The development project from the partners LG Chem, BOBST and Reifenhäuser shows what is possible when outstanding machines, processes and materials come together. The result is an MDO-PE film which, thanks to downgauging, lowers the manufacturing costs of fully recyclable packaging, reduces its product carbon footprint, and enables more sustainable further processing thanks to its outstanding product properties.

About the Reifenhäuser Group

The Reifenhäuser Group together with its highly specialized business units is the leading provider of innovative technologies and components for plastics extrusion. Founded in 1911, the company is a global supplier of high-tech solutions. With its technologies and the know-how of its 1,750 employees, Reifenhäuser has the world's largest network of expertise in plastics extrusion technologies. The CEO of the Group is Bernd Reifenhäuser. 

KAMA GmbH and TRESU, the well-known, highly specialized manufacturer of flexible and customized flexo printing machines, announce their entering a partnership to establish together a game-changing solution to bring digital embellishment to the next level of efficiency. TRESU will integrate its coating unit into the new, revolutionary KAMA Hammerhead 76/106 to add conventional coating options to all the other applications the KAMA Hammerhead offers, such as UV digital spot varnish and digital foiling. With this combined solution KAMA and TRESU are breaking the limits by greatly widening the range of materials/substrates to be embellished and by raising the bar of efficiency to a high level never seen before.
Beyond the co-development of further options for the KAMA Hammerhead, KAMA and TRESU are setting up the basis for future collaboration in many more fields, by combining the knowledge and the excellence each company brings from their own field of expertise.

Jordi Giralt, Chief Business Officer at KAMA, says: “TRESU is the right partner to achieve the levels of excellence we aim for, and partnering with them will support us to bring digital embellishment to the position we consider it must be: equal to offset or flexo production in terms of efficiency and utilization, and of course rationalizing the cost of production.” 

Stephan Plenz, Chief Executive Officer at TRESU, says: “KAMA is in the right track to bring a disruptive solution to the increasing field of digital embellishment, which could benefit from the knowledge we can add. We want to walk this journey with our new partner, and we expect this is just the first step of a very productive association.”

Jordi Giralt concludes: “Drupa 2024 is the right moment and location to present to the world this new partnership, and show the first concepts of the ground-breaking KAMA Hammerhead 76/106 equipped with a TRESU Coater.”
 

Sophisticated system from ACSIS, an Antares Vision Group business unit, 
provides enhanced supply chain visibility while deterring gray market diversion.

Travagliato, Italy – Antares Vision Group – a technological partner in the digitalization of products and supply chains for companies and institutions, and leader in traceability and inspection for quality control – has implemented the initial phase of a robust traceability solution for cosmeceutical skin care solutions provider Episciences, Inc. Addressing needs for enhanced supply chain visibility amid substantial gray market diversion challenges, the sophisticated track & trace system was developed by ACSIS, a business unit of Antares Vision Group providing seamless serialization solutions. 

Based in Boise, ID, Episciences, Inc. is the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of the Epionce skin care line. Sold through the medical channel, clinically proven Epionce products are produced in an FDA-inspected drug manufacturing facility. Notably, Epionce skin care was the first skin care line on the market to be focused on the health of the skin barrier. Its products are sold throughout the United States, as well as internationally. 

Given the high value, high-leverage nature of its products, Episciences found itself particularly susceptible to gray market diversion. In part due to its sheer product breadth – the company manufactures more than several dozen unique offerings – conventional serialization solutions struggled to provide an adequate end-to-end solution. Printability, coding recognition, and false rejects were particularly vexing issues. 

The ACSIS Serialization Management solution manages, applies and captures serialization data at the unit, bundle, carton and pallet level, providing manufacturers with the data needed to achieve compliance with evolving government mandates and regulations around product traceability. In doing so, the solution provides seamless integration with enterprise systems such as ERP, MES and serialization repositories, as well as line-level equipment like vision technologies, printing components and packaging automation modules. 

Along with robust serialization functionality, the Serialization Management solution can also capture user-defined product attributes at the point of serialization, yielding useful insights to help optimize various points along the value chain. Notably, ACSIS’ user-friendly architecture makes defining and changing data collection parameters efficient and intuitive. 

At Episciences’ plant, ACSIS’ Serialization Management system operates on two packaging lines. Its software manages the vision systems, printers, and barcode readers necessary to verify and capture product serial numbers. The system is also the primary user interface for product selection and serialization verification data entry. 

Especially important given its broad range of Epionce products, Episciences was able to integrate ACSIS’ Serialization Management system without the hassle and cost of modifying existing secondary packaging artwork or labeling procedures to prioritize barcode placement. This ability to retain its existing carton surface composition exemplifies the disruption-free nature of the overall system. 

“The system ACSIS employed for our Epionce products is both highly customized and essentially turnkey, with bare minimum ramp-up and training required,” said Ron Hope, General Manager of Manufacturing & Distribution for Episciences, Inc. “Critically for a manufacturer with a diverse array of products, initiating new SKUs is a smooth process that doesn’t delay the inception of commercial-scale production.” 

“The ACSIS solution is the foundation that Episcinces is using to build a full end to end supply chain tracability platform,” said John DiPalo, Chief Strategy Officer at ACSIS. “By leverging the complete ACSIS solution, Episciences can track product from packaging through distribution and across the extended supply chain.”

For over 25 years, ACSIS has delivered innovative supply chain execution solutions with actionable results to valued customers such as The Coca-Cola Company, DuPont, The Hershey Company, AmerisourceBergen, Cintas, Ashland, and more. ACSIS traceability solutions for the extended supply chain provide a real-time view of supply chain execution – connecting legacy systems, partner networks, and assets for better insight and smarter forecasting. For more info, visit . 

About Antares Vision Group 
Antares Vision Group is driving digitalization of products and supply chains by leading traceability, inspection, and integrated data management. AV Group helps companies and institutions to achieve safety, quality, efficiency, and sustainability, enabling Trustparency®. 
DIAMIND, AV Group’s integrated ecosystem of solutions, simplifies the technology environment and supports business growth by enabling a data-driven and tailored journey to digital innovation. Connecting physical products with digital identities, DIAMIND runs at the line, factory, warehouse, enterprise, and supply chain levels and guarantees product quality (inspection systems and equipment) and end-to-end traceability (from raw materials to production, from distribution to the consumer and back) through integrated data management, applying artificial intelligence and potentially blockchain. 
AV Group operates in the Life Science (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and hospitals), Beverage, Food, Cosmetics, Chemicals, and Packaging industries and potentially many others. 
AV Group has been listed in STAR segment of Euronext since 14 May 2021. It has been included in the Euronext Tech Leaders index, dedicated to leading tech companies with high growth potential, since July 2022.
In 2022, Antares Vision Group recorded a turnover of €223 million. The Group operates in 60 countries, employs over 1,300 people, and has a consolidated network of over 40 international partners.
 

Hunter Luxury has partnered with disruptive skincare experts Joonbyrd in the development and launch of its debut range of opulent body care products.

Founded by Dr Alexis Granite, one of the world’s leading dermatologists with a glittering twenty-year international career, Joonbyrd’s arrival is set to make a splash in the skincare sector thanks to its uniquely joyful brand identity – an identity captured in the sensorially playful supportive primary packaging developed by primary supplier Hunter Luxury.

The core collection of intelligent and joyful luxury body care heroes, alongside refills, body tools and lifestyle accessories launching this summer, focuses on the sensorial aspects of body care through packaging design, product textures and fragrances. The products intend to deliver elevated self-care rituals and mind-body connection alongside clinically proven results.

“The Joonbyrd experience flies in the face of what you expect from a skincare brand,” said Pippa Bell, Head of Beauty at Hunter Luxury. “Capturing that meant really getting under the skin of our customer – no pun intended – and working hand-in-hand with them every step of the way, from concept to creation.

 “As this is the brand's launch, we had to go the extra mile to make a huge first impression. We aimed to perfectly crystallise what this brand is about, making it clear to consumers at first glance even if they aren’t familiar with the name Joonbyrd yet.”

 To replicate the combination of contrasting elements that make up the Joonbyrd brand, Hunter Luxury developed a range of soft-touch silicone sleeves, coloured in bright pastel hues and embossed with patterns based on the Joonbyrd logo. The sleeves were precisely crafted to contrast with the colours and complement the texture of the glass containers, resulting in a final product that feels as good as it looks.

 The brand-new range melds the contrasting textures of glass and silicone to create a unique tactile experience for its bottles and jars. Hunter Luxury also created an exquisite, zippered gift set and an extravagant chest containing PR kits sent to select media outlets to mark Joonbyrd’s arrival in the skincare market.

 “At the heart of Joonbyrd is joy, so we set out to create entirely unique and uplifting packaging that touches the senses through shape, colour and texture,” said Dr Alexis Granite. “We looked to a variety of industries for inspiration, from food to fragrance to fashion, for packs that would capture attention, bringing that hit of happiness on the shelf.

 “Equally, we sought to work with materials that were sturdy enough to be reused and refilled many times over. Joonbyrd was drawn to silicone and glass in particular as they offered an opportunity to create a highly sensorial soft touch finish, with soft bends and curves that are both visually pleasing and tactile. We loved the idea of creating a brand pattern that was instantly recognisable within the silicone, embedding each product with a "hidden" logo. Hunter Luxury truly helped Joonbyrd realise its joyful vision, bringing to life our candy-coloured silicone, and we are so excited for what's to come.”

 With a debut launch comprising its Daydreamer Body Serum, Violet Haze Body Scrub, Sunday Sofa Body Butter, Moon Swim Body Wash, and Little Love Body Lotion, Joonbyrd redefines everything that consumers have come to expect from dermatologist-led brands.

The installation of four Ishida RVE multihead weighers at a leading French olive and spreads manufacturer has enabled the company to increase productivity by 10 percent, reduce average giveaway from 7g to 2g, and cut the volume of non-compliant finished packs by 70 percent.

Located in the heart of Provence, Tropico Apéro balances tradition with novelty in the production of a wide range of products, supplied to large retail stores in both bulk and packaged format. However, with high customer demand, the company was suffering from the unreliability of its previous equipment across its four production lines. The weighers were constantly breaking down, and this equated to the equivalent of 10 days’ lost production per line per year. Maintenance and spare part costs were also excessive.

To ensure consistently high output rates and eliminate machine breakdowns, Tropico Apéro invested in the 14-head 3 litre Ishida RVE multihead weighers. And thanks to the excellent results achieved from the first installed machine, the company quickly decided to buy a further three weighers to standardise equipment across its packing lines, as part of a €1.5 million investment programme over five years. 

“Everyone we spoke to in the agri-food industry raved about the quality of Ishida weighers,” explained Ludovic Champion, Tropic Apéro’s Director of Operations. “The tests we conducted on the initial Ishida weighing solution were so conclusive that we purchased three more to standardise our machinery. We have now significantly increased the efficiency of our production lines and drastically reduced our spare parts budget while reducing product loss.” 

The accuracy and consistency of the Ishida weighers have enabled Tropico Apéro to focus on minimising giveaway across the different types of packaging used for its products. The reduction in non-compliant packs has also greatly eased the workload for operators on each line.
 
The Ishida CCW-RVE multihead weigher has been designed for the rapid weighing of free-flowing or semi-sticky dry, chilled, fresh and frozen products. It features a high grade stainless-steel finish with an embossed surface and enhanced design to prevent the ingress of water, for long term reliable operation. 

The embossing of all contact parts reduces the contact surface area to prevent product sticking and to maximise throughput. For line personnel the weigher’s ease of use, set up and cleaning (all contact parts are easily removable without tools) simplify daily operations, minimise machine downtime and maximise productivity.

At Tropico Apéro, the weighers are in operation during the off season for one 8-hour shift, 5 days per week, and for two or three shifts, around five to six days a week, in peak season. Each machine is handling 40 packs per minute, enabling the company to produce around 700,000 250g packs per week.
 

Have you ever pondered about the packaging materials used in cosmetics, food and medical packaging in our daily lives? Among paper, plastic, glass, and metal, plastics are likely the most common. However, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) materials are gaining more prominence in the packaging industry.

Cosmetics and Food-Contact Packaging
KRAIBURG TPE’s materials are not only utilized in cosmetics packaging, https://www.kraiburg-tpe.com/en/cosmetic-packaging such as lipstick, lip gloss, mascara, perfume bottles, and hoses, but also in food packaging, including tableware, beverage bottles, food containers, and material dispensers.

THERMOLAST® K https://www.kraiburg-tpe.com/en/thermolast-k is your ideal solution for cosmetics and food-contact packaging with the following characteristics:
•    Compliance with a range of international standards, including EU Regulation 10/2011, US CFR 21 FDA, China GB4806-2016 for materials in contact with food. https://www.kraiburg-tpe.com/en/controlled-migration-tpe 
•    Offering a diverse range of hardness options.
•    Capability for pre-coloring and maintaining consistent color quality globally.
•    Chemical resistance.
•    Premium surface quality with elasticity and resilience.
•    Ability for multi-component injection molding.
•    Free from animal-derived and halogen materials.
•    Overmolding possible with PP, PE, PC, PET, PETG, PBT, POM, ABS, PS, ASA, SAN, PMMA, PA6, PA6.6, PA12.

Medical and Pharmaceutical Packaging
In addition, there’s also THERMOLAST® H for medical packaging materials, https://www.kraiburg-tpe.com/en/medical utilized in seals, valves, hoses, syringe protective caps, plugs and spacers. 

THERMOLAST® H https://www.kraiburg-tpe.com/en/thermolast-h-healthcare-tpe is your ideal solution for medical and pharmaceutical packaging with the following characteristics:
•    Compliance with a range of international standards, including (EU) No. 10/2011, GB 4806, FDA CFR 21 REACH SVHC and RoHS Directive.
•    Bio-compatibility testing according to ISO 10993-5 and GB/T 16886.5.
•    Free from heavy metals, latex, PVC, and silicon.
•    Adhesion to PP.
•    No animal-derived ingredients.
•    Excellent compression set properties.
•    Excellent sealing properties.
•    Good haptics.
•    Pre-coloration available in-house.

TPE materials with these characteristics offer cost-effective packaging solutions, especially in medical, cosmetic, and food packaging - where safe, non-toxic, and recyclable materials are essential.

In the future, TPE materials will continue to be explored as an alternative material to unlock innovative possibilities in the packaging industry - contributing to growing demand and use.