World Pharmaceutical Packaging

Summary

World pharmaceutical packaging demand is forecast to rise 5.9 percent annually to over $34 billion in 2011. Western Europe, the US and Japan will absorb nearly three-fourths of this amount due to the presence of the most advanced drugproducing sectors. However, China will offer the strongest growth opportunities based on rapidly expanding pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities and the phasing-in of an extensive government program designed to upgrade the quality and integrity of nationally produced medicines. Among other key developing economies, India and Brazil will become rapid growth markets as drug-producing sectors are upgraded and diversified, especially in generic ethical drugs.

The US will remain the largest consumer of pharmaceutical packaging as new sophisticated therapies with specialized packaging needs are introduced. Growth in West European demand will reflect upgraded government standards requiring unit dose, high barrier and anti-counterfeit packaging for many types of medication. An easing of government-imposed drug price controls, along with greater export market penetration, will impact favorably on sales of pharmaceutical packaging in Japan, as demand rebounds from recent depressed market conditions.

Growth in global demand for primary pharmaceutical containers will be paced by prefillable inhalers and prefillable syringes, which will generate the fastest growth opportunities among all pharmaceutical packaging products based on performance advantages in drug delivery and the introduction of new bioengineered medicines. Plastic bottles will sustain the largest share of global demand based on low cost, versatility, availability, and ongoing quality and design improvements. Expanding applications in both solid and liquid oral medications will create above average growth opportunities for these containers, especially in the US and developing countries. Pharmaceutical blister packaging will exhibit favorable growth in global demand based on adaptability to unit dose, clinical trial, compliance, institutional and over-thecounter drugs. Advances in the changeover features of processing machinery will also benefit growth by making blister packaging more cost-efficient in smallvolume drug applications. Equipment upgrades, coupled with trends favoring unit dose packaging, will also boost demand for pouches and strip packs.

Global market growth for pharmaceutical closures and accessories will be led by child-resistant, senior-friendly and dispensing closures; compliance-enhanced prescription containers; high visibility labels; and tamper-evident and anticounterfeit accessories. Demand for these products will benefit from stricter government and industry standards covering the safety, security and ease of use features of drug containers. Sales of dispensing closures will increase favorably as drug makers adapt medication to high valueadded delivery systems. Stepped up efforts by medical groups to improve patient drug compliance will boost the market for high visibility labels as well as that for high value-added prescription containers, such as D-back vials.

World Pharmaceutical Packaging, a new Freedonia industry study available for $5800, presents historical data (1996, 2001, 2006) plus forecasts (2011, 2016) for pharmaceutical packaging demand by type for 6 regions and 18 countries. The study also considers market environment factors and evaluates market shares. In addition, company profiles are provided for 34 global industry competitors along with an examination of their marketing, manufacturing and distribution strategies.

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