NEXT: How Everic® smooth significantly decreases final reject rate

The standard pharmaceutical filling process presents a challenge to primary packaging containers. As they traverse the filling lines, the container surface can suffer from various cosmetic defects. These scratches and abrasions increase the number of final rejects and reduce the container’s strength, which may lead to glass breakage. The consequences: disruption and increased manufacturing costs. In times of high demand and risk of drug shortages, improvements in fill-and-finish operations can make a sizeable contribution to human health. With EVERIC™ smooth, SCHOTT offers a vial with an outer coating that features a reduced coefficient of friction to ensure a smooth container flow on the filling line and a reduction of cosmetic defects. Depending on individual needs, pharma companies can choose between two different coatings, which both show a hydrophobic surface behavior: silicone based or silane-based. The silicone-based coating is applied via dip-coating and adhered to the glass surface by heat treatment. Well known as a gliding agent in the pharmaceutical industry, silicone is typically relied upon by high-speed lines, focused on vaccines, generics and chemical drugs, where avoiding interruptions and increasing yield are key performance indicators.