5 Steps to Improve Efficiency for Pharmaceutical Packaging & Logistics

Managing high levels of efficiency and safety are important. Yet sometimes workers put their safety at risk in order to handle items as quickly as possible and meet operational deadlines.  To ensure productivity and safety are not in opposition, pharma operations should create processes that promote efficient material handling and worker safety.  

To improve your operations, here are 5 steps: 

1. Identify the materials you need to handle 
2. Understand important factors of material handling 
3. Recognize industry & facility-specific challenges 
4. Explore opportunities to improve operations 
5. Take action & choose one area to start with 

 

Step 1: Identify Pharmaceutical Packaging Materials & Lifting Considerations 

Manually handling sensitive packaged goods can be challenging. Items need to be handled carefully and securely so the product is not damaged. Each packaging type has its own lifting requirements, which should be considered early when designing or upgrading material handling processes. 

There is a wide range of pharmaceutical packaging and multiple layers designed to protect products throughout their lifecycle. Understanding these layers is key to selecting the right handling solution. 

Primary Packaging 

Primary packaging has direct contact with the product (e.g., blister packs, vials, bottles, ampoules, sachets). It must protect the medicine from contamination, moisture, light, and mechanical damage. Different materials are used and each material behaves differently and requires tailored handling: 

• Glass containers (vials, ampoules, bottles) must be handled gently to prevent cracks, chips, or breakage. Shock, point loads, or sudden impacts can cause damage. 
• Plastic bottles and blisters can deform under excessive point pressure, potentially compromising seals or child-resistant features. 
• Paper-based or foil-based packs (like cartons, sachets, lidding materials) can crease, tear, or lose legibility if gripped too hard or at sharp contact points. 

In many facilities, packaging machinery automatically transfers products into their primary and then secondary packaging. However, there are often manual or semi-automated steps where operators must load components, remove rejects, or handle intermediate packs.  

In these areas it is especially important to choose lifting solutions that can apply a firm but gentle grip suitable for the specific material. What works for a rigid plastic bottle may not be appropriate for a thin paperboard carton. 

Secondary Packaging 

Secondary packaging protects the primary packaging layer during storage, in-plant handling, and distribution within the facility. Efficient handling of secondary packaging has a large impact on line throughput. 

For manual lifting, workers are repeatedly bending, twisting, or lifting above shoulder height, which significantly increases the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Poor ergonomics not only affects worker health. It also leads to fatigue, slower cycle times, and higher error rates. 

Tertiary Packaging 

At the tertiary packaging stage, products are typically consolidated into cases, shrink-wrapped bundles, or pallet loads ready for outbound shipping. Operations such as palletizing, depalletizing, and truck loading must balance speed, repeatability, and safety. 

Here, the ability to quickly and safely lift items (without crushing cartons, damaging labels, or destabilizing stacked loads) is essential.  

 

Step 2: Understand Important Factors of Material Handling 

In pharma facilities, there are a variety of factors that can affect the material handling process. 

Movement 

Based on the chemicals used in a facility, certain areas will require workers to wear protective equipment. Goggles can restrict visibility, and gloves can affect movement.  Protective equipment makes it more difficult to manually handle items and could increase the risk of accidentally dropping an item. Also, it’s important to think about how far workers have to move an item. Some processes might involve moving an item a far distance, which might not be the most efficient. 

Package Integrity & Grip 

The pharma products can not be damaged or contaminated in any way. This means manually handling sensitive goods puts a lot of pressure on workers and they can’t afford to make any mistakes.  

Lifting Position 

Handling goods can led to awkward postures as workers bend down to pick up or drop off items. This manual lifting can cause long-term physical strain, which ultimately slows down workers as they try to complete pharmaceutical logistics or packaging tasks.  

Isolation 

Many pharma facilities have workers completing tasks alone in different rooms. This isolation can mean that each worker does the task in their own way instead of copying from a coworker. This makes it difficult for best practices to be shared or implemented across a facility. 

To improve your operations, evaluate your current material handling processes. Determine what specific factors play a key role in your facility.  

 

Step 3: Recognize Challenges in Pharmaceutical Logistics & Packaging 

For pharmaceutical logistics, packaged items need to be moved within and between facilities efficiently and safely. Challenges like labor shortages, bottlenecks, and safety concerns can make that difficult to accomplish. 

Labour Shortages 

Workers play an important role in ensuring materials reach the place they need to. But finding labor can be tough. Many people are not interested in a job with manual material handling because of the health and safety risks. Or a worker’s physical limitations might mean they are not strong enough to lift materials. 

With a lack of needed labor, packaging and logistic operations must rely on less people. The existing workers have a higher workload to manage, which can lead to faster burnout, delays, or inaccuracies.   

Bottlenecks Slows Down Workflow 

Operations have many moving parts that need to work smoothly together. This means a bottleneck in one part of the process causes problems later on. Packaging lines can face bottlenecks when workers struggle to put large, bulky reels on packaging equipment. This slows down the rest of the line. 

For logistic operations, boxes move through conveyor lines. Workers palletize and load them onto trucks. If the palletization workflow is disrupted, then boxes won’t be loaded on time. Trucks might be stuck waiting at the dock for longer than they should. Also, some pharma products are time-sensitive and moving those products quickly is essential. 

Workforce Safety Concerns 

Lifting materials for packaging lines or logistics puts workers’ safety at risk. Boxes, drums, reels, and other materials can be large and overwhelming to lift. Also, their weight can put tremendous physical strain on workers.  

Even lifting lighter items can become difficult with repetitive lifting. Workers might complete a material handling task many times during their shift. Each time they lift materials, it puts strain on the body.  

Also, the lifting position affects safety. Based on the way operations are set up, sometimes people must lift items from awkward positions. This can lead to serious strain in the back and shoulders. 

Step 4: Explore Opportunities to Improve Packaging & Logistics Efficiency 

When a facility struggles with material handling, it’s time to look for ways to improve. 

Facility Layout 

The way operations are set up inside a facility can affect efficiency and safety. How far do workers have to move materials for packaging or logistic operations? The farther the distance, the more strain on the body. 

Documenting Best Practices 

Documenting a clear process for the movement of materials inside a facility is beneficial. Train workers on the most effective way to complete tasks and follow-up to ensure best practices are being followed. 

Efficiency in Inbound/Outbound Workflow 

Pharmaceutical logistics requires efficient inbound and outbound workflow. Analyze how materials move when they enter the facility and when they leave.  

Are there areas that frequently become bottlenecks? Are operations set up so workers can be efficient? 

Semi-Automation or Completely Automated Solutions 

Manually lifting items is a safety risk. Automation solutions are valuable to remove the heavy lifting load from workers. Also, it helps operations reevaluate where they place workers because automation requires less people involved in material handling tasks. 

• Semi-automation, such as vacuum lifters, are used by operators to safely and quickly lift items. They can be added to existing workflows and mobile options let one machine be used across a facility.  
• Fully robotic solutions usually take up a bigger footprint in a facility and are an expensive investment. However, full automation replaces workers completely, which can be helpful for facilities that are extremely short-staffed. 

 

Step 5: Take Action to Build More Resilient Packaging & Logistics Workflows 

It’s important to evaluate processes and set up pharmaceutical packaging and logistic operations that are efficient. If there are many areas to improve, it can be beneficial to start with one area.  

Implement a solution and determine what results you saw. One solution to consider is ergonomic lifting aids. Vacuum lifters can grip cartons reliably without crushing, tearing, or slipping. Also, they can maintain packaging quality while reducing physical strain.  

Some areas where lifting solutions can make a difference are: 

• Conveyor to pallet: 
  • Boxes, drums, or other materials can be effectively palletized with a vacuum lifter. 
  • Bridge crane systems allow the lifter cover a wide area. 
• Unloading containers:  
  • Trucks or containers with loosely packed items are challenging to manually unload, but a Container Unloader quickly and safely unloads items. 
  • It has a vacuum lifter, an adjustable platform, and a conveyor to help unload items efficiently. 
• Between areas in a facility:  
  • Mobile vacuum lifters can be moved around a facility with a forklift or pallet jack, so materials are transported to the right place. 
  • It also can help people complete order picking tasks. 
• Loading reels:  
  • When heavy reels need to be placed on packaging line, lifting trolleys can lift and rotate the reel, so the operator can quickly complete their task.
  • There is different tooling available, depending on if you want to grip the outside of a reel or lift if from the core. 

The implementation of a lifting solution can make a workflow more resilient. Operations don’t need to rely on a limited number of employees that are physically strong enough to lift items anymore. 

When you are satisfied with the process in one area, choose another area to improve. 

Want to learn more about how to improve pharma operations? Explore our pharma industry page. 

Or want inspiration about how real pharma companies use lifting solutions? Discover Qualiphar’s solution.

We know deciding on the best solution can be tricky. TAWI’s lifting experts partner with you to learn about your lifting needs and find the right solution. Contact us today.