Navigating Packaging Innovation

Q&A with Tina Jächel, Director, Product Line Management, and Jeff Cole, Director, Marketing and Communications, Klöckner Pentaplast

Q: What does one need to know about your company in terms of the value proposition as it relates to supplements?

Tina Jächel: KP is the only global supplier of every sustainable blister packaging solution for rigid materials including PET, HDPE, and PP. We focus mostly on blister packaging and special applications for liquid packaging. We provide a broad catalog of solutions, from PET mono solutions to PVC mono and ultra-high barrier solutions, depending on customer needs. We are a global player with production facilities in Asia, South America, North America, and Europe, allowing us to help our customers locally. Our highly educated application engineering team can be on-site to assist with line qualifications and troubleshooting. Our unique value proposition is our ambition to be the global solution providers to customers.

Q: Walk me through one or two typical scenarios where a company using a different solution decides to call KP. Why does this happen?

Tina Jächel: This can happen due to innovation pressure or packaging failure. With new laws on sustainability or compliance, companies might need to change their packaging. They reach out to us to understand the compliance landscape and get the right solution. Packaging failure is another reason. Materials may not be stable or fail in consumer use, prompting companies to seek the perfect packaging to ensure the desired shelf life. We model solutions based on their specific supplement recipes to meet market needs and shelf-life requirements.

Q: What are the unique challenges in 2024 that you and your customers face?

Tina Jächel: The main theme is sustainability and how it shapes our industry. As packaging material suppliers, we have the responsibility to deliver solutions that are functional and sustainable. Over the past five years, KP has moved into every polymer that is sustainable, offering recyclable solutions like PET, PP, and HDPE. For nutraceuticals, we have a brand kpEnhance RM1, which includes PCR materials in the core layer. We use materials from regions without waste collection, providing incentives for waste collection and high-quality recycling processes. Besides sustainability, we also focus on creating packaging that is senior-friendly and child-resistant, addressing concerns like melatonin gummies that appeal to children.

Q: Is there a distinction between child deterrent and child-resistant packaging, and how does it vary by country?

Tina Jächel: Absolutely. In Europe, child resistance often means opaque packaging to prevent children from seeing colorful tablets or gummies. In the US, it involves opening features that make blister packs harder to open. There are various solutions depending on the criticality of the drugs or ingredients used.

Q: Do you spend a lot of time educating customers about recyclability and environmental impact, or do they come to you fully educated?

Tina Jächel: Typically, customers have an idea that they need to address sustainability, but few know exactly what solution they need. We guide them through the process, understanding their current packaging, and replacing it with recyclable options. We design a customer journey, helping with the modeling of moisture, oxygen, and light sensitivity. We also offer prototypes for marketing teams or consumer testing. Our local application engineering team helps customers qualify the material on their lines, ensuring an end-to-end solution from modeling to stability and compliance.

Q: Packaging is a tactile extension of the brand. How important is it to get the packaging right for your customers?

Tina Jächel: It's crucial. We are experts in packaging, providing end-to-end service and a full range of solutions. Customers may have different visions for their packaging, and we help them find what works best. Sustainability is important, but the integrity and protection of the packaging are our primary focus. We ensure the packaging is sustainable and meets all necessary characteristics to protect the supplement.

Jeff Cole: Manufacturers often don't think about packaging until late in development. We provide a turnkey operation from prototyping to field testing and application, taking the burden off the customer and helping them through the entire journey.

Q: Do companies often come to you in a panic when they realize they have regulatory or compliance issues?

Jeff Cole: Yes, sometimes they try to use existing packaging and encounter issues like moisture or vapor variables they didn't foresee. That's where we help.

Tina Jächel: We focus on perfect packaging, reducing waste, and ensuring the integrity of the product. Packaging must protect the product from becoming sticky, changing color, or losing function. We also think about reducing waste on unused medication or supplements. We ensure maximum protection and the best supply chain processes.

Q: Most consumers throw packaging in the garbage. How does your dedication to recyclability come into play?

Tina Jächel: We focus on solutions that are truly recyclable and can be easily placed in recycling bins. We work with the recycling industry on solutions to ensure blisters are not causing any contamination in the recycling stream.  We are also working with the recycling industry to make sure active drug substances don't enter the recycling stream. Our end-to-end solution includes testing with known institutes to ensure it works.

Q: One might think there's a plateau in packaging innovation, but it seems there's continuous innovation. Is that correct?

Tina Jächel: Absolutely. Challenges change, and new legislation comes up, requiring innovation in polymers and additives. We also focus on plug-and-play solutions that work on existing lines, maintaining profitability and reducing CO2 footprints.

Jeff Cole: Four or five years ago, there was no recyclable solution for blisters. Now we have developed truly recyclable blisters with recycled content. However, recyclers need to catch up with these innovations.

Tina Jächel: We have the consumer packaging and food division, which is ahead in innovation. We've launched initiatives like Tray2Tray®, ensuring materials go back into the recycling stream and are reused in the same applications. This helps us develop paths and solutions for all industries to improve their packaging state.

Q: What does the future hold for packaging? Any exciting innovations on the horizon?

Tina Jächel: Smart packaging is always on our mind. We think about adding functionality to help consumers see if packaging is still functional or if it has taken in too much light or moisture. We also focus on anti-counterfeiting solutions to ensure drugs and supplements are authentic and safe. The challenges and ideas are endless. We work closely with customers to address their unique challenges and provide the best solutions.