Key points
It’s fair to say that businesses throughout the UK and Europe have been buffeted by the high winds of change in recent years. With the impacts of the ‘B’ word (Brexit), war in Ukraine, digital acceleration, and more – and businesses the world-over grappling with the ‘S’ word (Sustainability!) – many are looking to the future with an anxious eye.
From start-ups to multi-national corporations, businesses need their foundational process and packaging equipment to be reliable, stand the test of time, and also contribute towards environmental considerations.
Investing once and investing right takes this weight off of key stakeholders’ minds, leaving them free to mitigate the wider risks facing their business.
“So how can I make sure I shop smart?”
Firstly, it sounds like the oldest mistake in the book, but don’t buy the cheapest process equipment you find! This can become false economy in the long run, as such alternatives are largely less durable, less hygienic and less eco-friendly.
Hygiene certification for QA compliance
Secondly, for those manufacturing pharmaceuticals, orals, topicals and other products where hygiene is paramount, your process equipment needs to have been created with a specific eye for hygiene.
Look for products with a pit and crevice-free design – with single piece construction where possible – to avoid potential bug traps.
316L pharmaceutical grade stainless steel is the apex, but you need to make sure that if you ask for 316L, that’s what you get. We hear all sorts of horror stories about vessels being delivered to a medical production environment which are entirely 316L… apart from the base, or apart from the lid!
Businesses which provide material traceability and testing certification should shoot to the top of your supplier list, as they are guaranteeing the quality of the goods you receive. This is achieved using X-Ray Analysis to confirm the metal alloy makeup of your process equipment.
Similarly, Surface Finish Analysis checks surface smoothness, ensuring that those unhygienic nasties have nowhere to hide – ideally both would be available, to also simplify your QA procedure.
Scale up your production in a cost-effective manner
Thirdly, scalable machinery is also a real winner; it means your initial investment is never rendered obsolete. Machinery ranges which incorporate your smaller filler into the larger, when you’re ready to increase production, are invaluable. The very best can also be removed for use as stand-alone semi-automatic units when required.
In terms of process equipment such as vessels and containers, ask potential suppliers – or ensure your purchasing team ask suppliers – about their stock levels and supply capabilities: if you start off purchasing batches of 10 vessels, will they still be able to support you once your business takes on larger contracts and needs batches of 100?
Once again, what is cost-effective in the short term may prove false economy compared to building a relationship with a supplier that can support all phases of your business growth.
Sustainability: an enduring concern
The fourth major factor to consider when searching for the quality to support your business, is the challenges presented by an increased focus on sustainability.
‘Environmental footprint’ has gone from a secondary to very much a primary concern, and businesses are coming under pressure to show that they are willing to invest in making environmentally aware improvements.
This is one concern which shows no sign of abating (indeed, it looks be exponentially increasing), so when looking to future-proof your business, your process equipment is a great place to start.
“Stainless steel is one of the most environmentally efficient raw materials available”, states Life Without Plastics, “because of its durability and ability to be recycled”.
Over the past twenty years, improved process technology has enabled manufacturers to significantly reduce the quantities of energy required to produce stainless steel. Stainless steel process equipment should last significantly longer than lower grade examples under normal usage.
Even once the service life is over or they become irreparably damaged, stainless steel items should never enter the waste stream.
Stainless steel is 100% recyclable and can be reused to make new products without loss of any of the original properties, such as tensile strength, ductility and corrosion-resistance. On average, most stainless steel items are made of approximately 60% recycled material, with 25% of that derived from end-of-life products, and the other 35% from manufacturing processes.
The attitude of your machinery supplier towards sustainability challenges will speak volumes. Look out for award-winning suppliers, who will stand head and shoulders above their peers in the Sustainability field. Other fantastic initiatives to look out for are those where suppliers promise an environmental incentive for ordering, such as planting a tree for every order they receive.
Quality and longevity of your hygienic process equipment is something that can’t be taken for granted, and the benefits of purchasing more eco-friendly equipment from an environmentally conscious source shouldn’t be underestimated.
Choose once – Choose right!
Meticulously evaluating suppliers according to the above criteria will enable your process equipment to remain where it needs to – right at the back of your mind! The confidence that its supply and fulfilment is stable and reliable, will take one unnecessary variable off your plate – in a world where new ones are added almost daily!
