Blister Meets Paper: Syntegon Wins German Packaging Award for Sustainable Tablet Packaging

Once again, the German Packaging Institute (Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V.) has honored Syntegon with the German Packaging Award – this time in the category “Sustainability”. The jury was impressed by the sustainability and good functionality of the paper-based packaging solution “Blister meets Paper”, which should also appeal to the health- and environmentally-conscious customer in terms of feel and appearance.

Syntegon developed the innovative blister packaging together with the Finnish packaging material manufacturer Huhtamaki.

The paper-based blisters are particularly suitable for nutraceuticals. In the submitted version, each blister has seven cavities for one tablet per weekday.

While paper-based packaging reprtedly offers advantages in terms of sustainability, it requires additional barrier layers to adequately protect the product without compromising recyclability. In addition, the tablets and capsules have to be pushed out of the blisters without being damaged.

“Thanks to the combination of our TPU 1000 form, fill and seal machine for paper packaging, the 3D formable FibreForm^® paper from BillerudKorsnäs, and the sealable barrier coating from Huhtamaki, we have succeeded in forming paper with the geometry required for tablets in cavities of three to four millimeters,” said Matthias Klauser, sustainability expert, Syntegon.

In the future, the paper blisters will also be available with diameters of six to ten millimeters to package larger tablets such as pain killers.

Packaging material expert Huhtamaki used the same sealable barrier coating for the blister’s lidding material as in the base material, and finished it with a special process to push the tablet easily through the material. The environmentally friendly material concept consisting of a thermoformable base film and a push-through lidding film with barrier coating is marketed as “Huhtamaki Push Tab paper”. The thermoformable barrier and seal layer is also heat-sealable.

The paper blisters can be printed on both sides, while an embossed brand logo can be applied to the top. A Euro hole can be punched in the upper area of the blister, which saves large quantities of packaging material compared to conventional blisters in folding cartons.

Find more information, visit https://www.syntegon.com.