These advantages have made the aluminium foil blister pack the first choice of most pharmaceutical companies — and part of our everyday lives. Aluminium foil has numerous properties which make it ideal for the safe, convenient and versatile packaging of many pharmaceutical products, such as tablets, powders and liquids. The unrivalled barrier properties of aluminium foil totally exclude the penetration of moisture, oxygen, aromas and other gases, as well as micro-organisms and light. Sensitive products are therefore kept in perfect condition for long periods.

Hygienic and non-toxic

Hygiene is another key factor in pharmaceutical packaging. Aluminium foil is nontoxic and non-hazardous to health and does not harbour or promote bacteria, and it can be supplied in a totally sterile condition. Aluminium foil is also suitable for the application of tamper-evident seals and anticounterfeiting security, such as holograms, while the ease of coating, laminating, slitting, forming, printing and embossing aluminium foil makes it an extremely versatile material for the packaging designer.

In the medical and personal care markets, aluminium foil is mainly used in push-through blisters as a high-barrier performance, sealable and breakable membrane. In cold-formed blisters or strip packs, aluminium’s excellent formability allows the material to be given highly complex shapes without impairing its barrier integrity.

Hydro Aluminium’s Foil business unit supplies aluminium to Hueck Folien GmbH & Co in Weiden, Germany – who in turn develops and produces high-quality flexible packaging products for the pharmaceutical industry.

Environmentally friendly

Aluminium foil in pharmaceutical packaging also has positive environmental benefits – it saves weight, reduces transport and handling costs and gives complete protection to the package contents. And when it comes to recycling, advanced separation techniques allow the aluminium foil in domestic waste to be recovered and recycled at a fraction of the original energy cost.

And it’s another example of how aluminium from Hydro is helping to create a more viable society by benefitting consumers, manufacturers, and the environment.

Find out more about Hydro’s packaging products at the Interpack 2005 trade fair.