Sharp Expands Commercial Packaging Capabilities

Sharp, part of UDG Healthcare plc, has invested £1 million ($1.24 million) in a commercial expansion project at its site in Rhymney, UK.

Since the Rhymney facility opened in late-2019, the company has received a number of enquiries for commercial primary and secondary packaging services.

After making the investment and receiving a commercial license in January of this year, Sharp can now meet demand for commercial packaging of a number of drug formats, including cold and thermoform blisters, bottles, capsules, syringes and medical device kitting.

The capacity expansion included new primary and secondary packaging rooms as well as installation of blistering equipment and automated cartoners. The new integrated lines feature inline conveyor systems and automatic blister feeding to increase capacity and offer faster packaging lead times.

“We are delighted to be able to extend our production capabilities to include commercial packaging.  This new investment will allow us to offer complementary services to new clients, without compromising our existing clinical trial capabilities,” said Ian Morgan, general manager of Sharp. “This expansion will also enable Sharp to broaden its offering in Europe for primary blister packaging activities to potential new clients from the Rhymney facility.”

Sharp is planning to introduce new serialization, aggregation and authentication equipment with further investment to support broader service delivery and future growth within the company for new and existing customers.

Commercial blister production at the site will begin in June 2020.