Cleanroom packaging materials
04/01/2006
Compiled by Karen Moltenbrey
Many manufacturing companies need to properly package delicate products for shipment around the world. Likewise, companies with cleanroom environments require parts to be shipped and opened within their sterile rooms. In either case, special packaging materials are needed that adhere to contamination-control guidelines, as to not jeopardize the integrity of the critical environments. Here is a selection of cleanroom packaging materials for this purpose.
ATMI expands Belgium packaging manufacturing
ATMI, Inc., a supplier of specialty materials and high-purity materials handling and delivery solutions to the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers, recently announced a $2 million expansion plan for its packaging manufacturing facility in Hoegaarden, Belgium. The expansion plan includes a new 2500-square-foot ISO Class 5 cleanroom and additional packaging production equipment, including an automated, large three-dimensional bag converting line. With the new equipment, ATMI’s packaging product line will offer a real scalable disposable mixing technology for amounts from 1 liter to 2000 liters.
Mario Philips, managing director of ATMI’s LifeSciences packaging product line, adds: “With a larger production space, we will maintain customer satisfaction while responding to the increased demand for ultra-clean, sterile, steam sterilization, and gamma irradiation packaging, disposable process solutions, and single-use mixing products for the biopharmaceutical industry. ATMI’s knowledge of advanced materials is one of the company’s core strengths. Our proprietary films are manufactured in our facilities and meet approval standards for each application.”
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ATMI’s LifeSciences packaging products are manufactured according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines at all stages of production to ensure the safety, purity, and effectiveness of its products. Every step of the film’s development, as well as package assembly, is done in a controlled environment under ISO Class 5 cleanroom conditions.
ATMI’s packaging product line is the source for process efficiency and a leader in smart and active materials handling for the global semiconductor industry. Delivering high-quality materials-handling solutions, ATMI applies Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology with enhanced safety and functionality to increase the mobility of complex chemistries. Focused on chemical suppliers, semiconductor equipment suppliers, and chip makers, its products and technologies are used worldwide by semiconductor and flat-panel display companies. ATMI has recently established a product line under an ATMI LifeSciences banner focused on biopharmaceutical applications with flexible, film-based packaging products ranging from single-use mixing and storage vessels to ultra-clean sterile containers. Recognized for its innovative NOWPak containers and its critical materials management solutions, ATMI develops products that enhance yields and lower costs.
ATMI, Inc.
Danbury, CN
www.atmi.com
Bosch’s Sigpack Systems to unveil new pharm solutions
Bosch Packaging Technology is a leader in highly efficient, high-quality packaging equipment in a broad range of product markets. Over 3,700 machines are installed in North America, some still in service after more than 40 years of production. The US food, confectionery, and pharmaceutical operations employ over 250 professionals dedicated to customer service and meeting the needs of the marketplace. The company’s products cover a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, and confectionery industries. Many Bosch Packaging products are applicable outside the realm of food and pharmaceutical packaging and processing. These products include cartoners, form/fill/seal (bagging) equipment, case packers, and other machines.
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At Achema 2006 next month in Frankfurt, German, Sigpack Systems, a Bosch Packaging Technology company, will be launching new packaging and processing technologies for pharmaceutical applications. Bosch will be presenting a full range of integrated solutions for areas as diverse as production, validation, and packaging.
Sigpack Systems will be introducing a new complete line for blister packages, which includes a horizontal flow wrap system with robotic feeding and end-of-line secondary packaging. Among the new technologies from Bosch Pharma Solid will be a new cartoning machine for blister wallet applications.
Bosch Packaging Technology
Stuttgart, Germany
www.bosch.com/pa
Fisher offers extensive line of certified bags, sheeting
Fisher Container Corp., established in 1969, has been manufacturing certified cleanroom bags, sheeting and pouches for over 20 years. With its extensive, diversified line of cleanroom packaging and distribution in over 40 countries, Fisher has earned an excellent reputation for providing materials of the highest quality to market leaders in the pharmaceutical, medical device, sterilization, aerospace, semiconductor, biotech, electronic, cleanroom disposable, and cleanroom garment industries. Fisher Container was the first cleanroom bag manufacturer to receive the ISO 9001-2000 certification, which includes printed cleanroom packaging materials. Fisher Container’s diverse cleanroom product line includes: barrier pouches, chevron pouches, breather bags, tyvek header bags, antistat bags, cleanroom tubing, cleanroom sheeting, dispenser pouches and packs, cleanroom shrink film and much more. Fisher also has a complete cleanroom stock bag and tube program, and the capability of printing up to eight colors.
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Fisher’s manufacturing environment is ISO Class 4 (Class 10), and the company was NASA-certified in 1988. Fisher Container has great strength in design and development and welcomes your inquiries large and small.
Fisher Container Corp.
Buffalo Grove, IL
www.fishercontainer.com
Pro-Pack provides solutions through packaging
Pro-Pack Materials, a manufacturer of cleanroom packaging, has established a strong name for itself in the Asian market. It has marked itself in the regional market with a range of amide and silicon-free cleanroom bags, polyethylene foam for wafer packing, static shielding bags to pack wafer carriers, cleanroom moisture-barrier bags, cleanroom nylon PE bags, wafer separators, and cleanroom vacuum-formed trays.
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The company has taken its first steps to expanding into the cleanroom packaging arena in recent years. These moves are part of the growth strategy in expanding the firm’s operations, which were predominantly targeted at the electrostatic sensitive discharge (ESD) protective packaging industry. The new product line is in liaison with existing growing demand for cleanroom packaging, services, and solutions. To date, Pro-Pack’s packaging facility, located in Malaysia, has a staff of 500, with a customer base that includes Hitachi Global, Chartered Semiconductor, Entegris, and other established MNCs.
Pro-Pack Materials PTE, Ltd.
Singapore
www.pro-pack.com.sg
Statclean offers a range of ultra-clean packing materials
Statclean Technology is a leading ISO 9001:2000-certified manufacturer of ultra-clean, flexible packaging materials. Understanding that using clean packaging bags is a critical component in protecting valuable products during transportation and work processes, the company provides well-diversified and customized materials, including Class 100 cleanroom LDPE bags, Class 100 cleanroom aluminium moisture barrier bags, nylon oxygen barrier bags, and transparent barrier bags. With its high-technology production lines, the firm is capable of producing colored bags that comply with every aspect of Class 100 cleanroom requirements.
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Statclean has certified facilities of Class 10 and 100 cleanrooms to produce reliable products that exceed the stringent requirements of every individual industry. With 15 years of experience, the company serves global customers in a wide spectrum of industries, such as hard-disk drive value-chain, semiconductor wafer fabrications, pharmaceutical, medical devices, flat-panel display, and automotive.
With a strong technical and design team, the firm is able to provide customized products and services to suit every unique application. Every production lot is assured for its compliance to specifications, which is done by conducting an internal liquid particle count.
Statclean Technology (S) Pte, Ltd.
Singapore
www.statclean.com
UFP Technologies focuses on customized packaging solutions
UFP Technologies, Inc., a manufacturer of custom engineered packaging materials, offers excellent product protection, a reduction in SKUs, lower packaging costs, plus added flexibility for multiple product packaging. UFP specializes in high-end molded fiber, thermoforming, and foam packaging, providing particulate-free packaging and quality protection for a broad range of medical, electronic, and consumer products.
With its medical packaging experience and cleanroom facilities, UFP excels in the custom design, engineering, and manufacturing of protective, sterilizable packaging for multiple-barrier medical trays and medical component parts. A range of medical-grade materials and thermoforming capabilities enables UFP to offer packaging solutions that meet the most challenging medical design specifications. The use of clear, thermoformed plastics creates a protective plastic shell or rigid blister pack that facilitates item identification and retrieval.
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By combining thermoformed rigid plastics with die-cut or compression-molded foams, UFP can transform a simple thermoformed tray into a highly protective cushion package that provides both shock and vibration protection, while still permitting sterilization for surgical instruments or devices. Engineered foam positioning pieces enable a single tray design to accommodate different products, resulting in reduced packaging SKUs and better inventory control. With this concept, UFP can adapt current packaging to future product designs by using a standardized base tray and modified foam inserts, saving time and money. Additionally, a wide variety of foam colors can add a bold, distinctive look to a package, enhancing brand recognition.
UFP Molded Fiber for consumer applications offers easy pack-out, minimal warehousing requirements, and low disposal costs since the packaging is recyclable. Molded Fiber clamshells save time and money during the fulfillment process, since they are sent to the cosmetic manufacturer open, allowing product to be loaded efficiently and sent to retailers.
Because it is made from abundantly available recycled paper, UFP’s Molded Fiber is a cost-effective choice for high-volume products, and compares favorably to other packaging mediums that have higher raw material costs. For most applications, Molded Fiber is less expensive than expanded polystyrene, vacuum-formed PET and PVC, corrugated and plastic film suspension packs, resilient foams, and die-cut corrugated materials.
UFP Technologies, Inc.
Georgetown, MA
www.ufpt.com