While almost 82% of pharma companies interviewed predict sourcing new packaging equipment in the next 12-24 months, replacing legacy lines is also driving growth with 41% of respondents saying it’s time to update older packaging lines for better efficiencies.
These new machines will feature new functionality for increased production like remote monitoring and diagnostics, modularity, multiple configuration changes and IIoT data management.
One respondent said, “The demand to update equipment, even before end of life, is putting huge strain on OEMS worldwide, and they are being swamped by increasing demand.”
Another process engineer reported, “Legacy equipment is a problem, and causes line shut downs at times. We continually invest in new equipment and look for more automation and flexibility for shorter runs…”
Source: PMMI Business Intelligence, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices 2016: Trends and Opportunities in Packaging Operations.
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