Kratos Industries from Colorado manufactures large-format control cabinets, among other things, and has grown rapidly over the past five years. But as output increased, so did the requirements for accurate labeling—an issue that was a real challenge for a while. Thanks to a paint protection label solution from Schreiner ProTech, this bottleneck has now been solved.

Label applications at extreme temperatures, especially in the range of deep-freeze and cryogenic levels, are becoming increasingly important. They require reliable closure seals and labels performing perfectly even under harsh conditions. Schreiner ProSecure has taken up this challenge, developing solutions that meet even the most exacting demands.

Applications under cryogenic and deepfreeze conditions confront labels and adhesives with new challenges. Extreme temperatures—whether during storage or dispensing—result in special adhesion and performance requirements regarding a sealing function with first-opening indication. Traditional adhesives and film materials soon reach their limits under these conditions. Especially in gene therapy where active ingredients must be stored at temperatures below -150 °C it is essential that labels reliably adhere to the substrate and are tamper-proof. But even in the less extreme deep-freeze range starting at -15 °C, labels must deliver robust and reliable performance to ensure the safety and integrity of products.

Schreiner ProSecure meets these requirements with a sophisticated modular system specifically developed for use in deep-freeze and cryogenic conditions. To perfectly address the specific demands of customers in terms of temperature and process, the portfolio encompasses a large number of adhesives and surface materials that have been comprehensively analyzed and tested by the company’s in-house research and development department. The focus is not only placed on adhesion at extreme temperatures but also on functions such as distinct first-opening indication or dispensing in the required temperature range. The combination of materials expertise and comprehensive know-how in terms of tamper evidence leads to tailored solutions delivering reliable performance even under the most difficult conditions.

Schreiner ProSecure’s extensive testing expertise is a significant success factor. To ensure that the labels work perfectly in the final application environment, many different tests are performed—both in the in-house laboratory and directly at the customer’s site. Factors like humidity, handling, and storage conditions are considered in order to test the labels’ functionality under realistic conditions. Thanks to this expertise, Schreiner ProSecure offers not only first-class solutions but also certainty that they fully satisfy the customers’ specific requirements.

Schreiner MediPharm’s novel RFID-Label features a unique integrated digital seal function which irreversibly indicates the first opening of a drug container, enabling automated tracking of its integrity on unit level. Thus, secure medication management in hospital environments is ensured. Due to its special label design, the integrated chip is reliably protected against functional failures from production till final use.

Digitalization is a growing trend in the healthcare sector for automating processes, enhancing product safety, and avoiding medication errors. Labels with an integrated RFID chip play an important role in this regard since they are used for product marking while simultaneously enabling clear digital identification of each individual medicine container. That is a decisive prerequisite for complete end-to-end tracking of the containers within the supply chain. However, in hectic daily hospital settings it must also be ensured that the integrity of the prefilled syringe or vial is intact before administering the medication.

This is exactly where the novel RFID-Label with an integrated digital seal function from Schreiner MediPharm comes into play. Thanks to its special design, it irreversibly indicates the first opening of the container, enabling automated tracking of its integrity. Consequently, a manual check if the container has been opened before is no longer necessary. That not only facilitates work for healthcare staff but also optimizes inventory management because unused drugs can be efficiently returned to stock. At the same time, possible diversions and abuse of medicines can be monitored.

The RFID solution from Schreiner MediPharm additionally features a special label construction reliably protecting the integrated chip against mechanical stress and impacts during the pharmaceutical production process and on high-speed dispensing systems. Thus, the digital seal can be reliably read out from production to final use. That is an important aspect to ensure seamless tracking of the drug on unit level and enhancing product and patient safety.

Ample information–quickly available: Schreiner MediPharm’s expert team for Clinical Trial Supplies (CTS) enables customized Booklet-Labels for a wide variety of uses. Thanks to a specialized process center, validated solutions are created according to the exacting quality standards of the pharmaceutical industry.

Clinical trials are often conducted on an international scale and call for utmost precision as well as efficient and safe processes. The investigational drugs must be reliably marked and provided with all the key information in several languages. Flexibility is crucial in order to enable short-term quantity adjustments in different countries.

The Solution: Booklet-Labels
Booklet-Labels are ideally suited for clinical trials because they have many pages and offer ample space for extensive text in several languages. Schreiner MediPharm’s CTS team develops customized Booklet-Labels reliably adhering to various container shapes and packaging, whether they are vials, syringes, blisters, pens/autoinjectors, tubes, boxes, or plastic containers.

Due to the use of very thin paper, the material structure of the Booklet-Labels is particularly flexible and suitable even for small containers with narrow radii. Value-adding functions such as hangers for infusion bottles, detachable documentation labels, RFID/NFC chips for interactive applications, or security features can be integrated. The combination with opaque films ensures reliable blinding. Special adhesives and materials additionally enable uses even at sub-zero temperatures. Increasingly, the sustainability of the solutions is moving into focus as well.

Efficient Production and Specialized Services
Schreiner MediPharm’s CTS team advises and supports customers individually across all trial stages, while achieving the fastest possible delivery times. Standardized workflows, materials, and testing processes ensure efficient and process-compliant production of the Booklet-Labels in a specialized process center. That’s where special services such as validated post printing of variable and randomized data are available as well. In addition, to optimize processes, Booklet-Labels can be pre-produced and placed into intermediate storage for variable post printing on short notice as needed. Regardless of the requirements, the CTS team will find a solution!

Further information about the wide range of solutions for clinical trials can be found on our website:
https://www.schreiner-group.com/en/products/clinical-trials

Efficiency and safety in industrial applications are imperative. Schreiner ProTech offers a wide variety of specialized products that satisfy exactly those requirements. From high-tech labels to RFID technology: a brief overview of the innovative solutions.

The containers in ARBURG’s factory halls travel several kilometers on average per week. The project was focused on getting a more detailed picture of the routes between the receiving department, the factory floor, and the shipping department and to increase the efficiency of the container circulation process: 100,000 con­tainers in total were provided with both Data­matrix codes and RFID labels.

The demands made on the labels were high: Due to the washing processes, the markings not only had to be acid- and alkali-resistant but also perfectly harmonize with challeng­ing container materials because ARBURG is currently using plastic, ESD-plastic, and metal containers.

“For us, it was important to work with an expe­rienced partner in installing a system that lays the foundation for an RFID-based system while ensuring our VDA compliance every step of the way,” said Sarah Zinser, Team Leader, Logistics Planning at ARBURG.

The forward-thinking RFID solution enables full bulk reading, end-to-end batch tracing, and optimized empties management in real time. All labels have a read range of approximately 7 meters.

Smart container management with RFID: that’s not only a way to optimize processes and cut costs but an essential element on the road toward digitalization.

Insurance plates are indispensable for mopeds and scooters, etc. As inconspicuous as they may be, the small adhesive plates need to satisfy exacting requirements: They must be particularly rugged and weather-resistant. Higher-level UV protection and strong adhesion play a role just like ease of use by the insurance policy holder.

One of the objectives of the pilot project for proof of liability insurance for small motorbikes using film-based plates is to simplify the processes for vehicle owners and the insurance sector. The sticker is sent to the client, very easy to apply, and the inconvenience of having to remove and reinstall the plate is eliminated. In the case of the plastic carrier plate that can be ordered from Schreiner PrinTrust as well, the current film-based plate is exchanged once a year or a new one simply applied on top of the previous plate. That method has been proven in use on scooters for several years. Schreiner PrinTrust developed the innovative adhesive plate for the German Insurance Association (GDV).

Sustainability is another aspect of the project. Insurance plates become invalid after one year. At that time, metal plates need to be exchanged completely. In the case of the film-based plate, however, the basic carrier plate remains on the vehicle and only the top layer with the printed identification is replaced. Plus, the production process and transportation of the film-based plates entail far less emissions than those of a conventional insurance plate.

The experts from Schreiner Group were the development partner and supplier from the beginning of the project and the self-adhesive insurance plate from Schreiner is explicitly mentioned as an alternative to conventional metal plates in the relevant regulation of the German Federal Ministry of Transportation. Plus, the fact that the various insurance companies can now purchase the insurance plates and carrier plates for their clients also for small motorized bikes reflects the trust in the quality and reliability of this approved producer.

Laboratory equipment, including chairs, has to meet exacting demands. Lab chairs must be robust, disinfectable, gapless, and antistatic. Cramer Inc., based in Kansas City has been a specialist in special-purpose seating furniture for nearly 90 years and recently chose PolyScript labels from Schreiner ProTech to mark its products.

The team at Cramer Inc. was frustrated because for years the company was constantly encountering problems caused by the labels on its high-tech lab chairs. They either failed to stick properly and would sometimes come off even during the manufacturing and assembly process or the print would not resist the chemical cleaning agents. However, without precise identification of the production batch it was difficult for the company to provide technical after-sales support. That posed a serious problem not least because Cramer offers warranties of more than 15 years on its products.

In 2022, Cramer, together with its long-time contract manufacturer Nuvar Inc. from Holland, Michigan, had finally found a solution—Color Laser Film (CLF) from Schreiner ProTech—that reliably adhered to the chair frames and resisted cleaning according to the strict protocol in the healthcare sector. The solution worked superbly but then sale of the laser printer that was planned to be used for printing the new label was unexpectedly discontinued. Now a perfect alternative had to be found quickly.

Eric Binnendyk, Senior Development Engineer at Nuvar, turns directly to Schreiner ProTech. His message reaches Sales Account Manager Doug Stubbs at the US plant in Blauvelt, who immediately gets in touch with the customer and proposes a new plan: “Since commonly used CLF printers can easily cost as much as $50,000, we decided to check thermal transfer materials and TTR printers as an alternative,” he recalls. Initially, Cramer and Nuvar are highly skeptical of the proposal because many TTR labels have previously failed to meet the requirements even before their use in the field. But the requirements in laboratory settings resemble those for industrial and automotive labels—a field in which Schreiner Group has many years of extensive experience. Schreiner’s solution convinces the customer!

The quest for a perfect solution for Cramer additionally involves a unique, aesthetic wish: a black label with white print, just like the CLF. “We almost exclusively manufacture black chairs and don’t want a large, white sticker to take center stage on the back of the chair. We deliberately applied the previous, white labels in covert places so that they wouldn’t distract from the overall aesthetics of the chair. However, the new label is coordinated in every detail and blends well with our holistic design initiatives for creating innovative and high-end laboratory seating furniture,” says Kyle Waggoner, Design Director at Cramer. “We definitely no longer have to hide that.”

The first batches of Helix® chairs with Schreiner’s PolyScript labels left the assembly line in spring of 2023, which was a major relief for the people at Cramer and Nuvar. “You know,” says Kyle Waggoner, “after all those setbacks, we were on the verge of throwing in the towel, but now we’re looking forward to the future.” Putting the outcome in a nutshell, Christe Foster, Director of Operations at Cramer, says, “Finally, a problem was solved that we’ve been struggling with for years. Even though we’re just a comparably small fish in a big pond Schreiner ProTech took the time to address our special needs, and we’re really thankful for that.”

High-end and long-lasting laboratory chairs that are state-of-the-art in terms of design, ergonomics, and functionality, equipped with the proven and extremely durable PolyScript label: that’s a promising combination and the perfect basis for further projects between Cramer, Nuvar Inc., and Schreiner ProTech.

Cap-Lock, the innovative solution from Schreiner MediPharm for protecting the integrity of Luer Lock COC syringes, is now being adapted for use also on glass syringes. The novel “Mini-Cap-Lock” security concept is based on a small cap adapter that is applied to the upper part of the syringe cap to equalize the different radii of the syringe barrel and the upper part of the closure cap. Combined with a functional label that wraps around the syringe and the cap, this results in reliable first-opening indication with additional benefits.

Luer Lock is a standardized twist-lock system for syringes. For Luer Lock syringes made of COC material, Schreiner MediPharm already offers a special security concept: Cap-Lock. It features a specially designed plastic cap adapter that is applied to the primary closure of the syringe and interlocks with it to equalize the different diameters of the syringe barrel and closure, enabling the application of a label for sealing. First opening and tampering attempts can thus be reliably indicated.

Schreiner MediPharm’s Cap-Lock concept is now also intended for future use on Luer Lock glass syringes. Because the diameters of the syringe barrel and cap are very similar for most glass syringes an adapter that encloses the entire cap is not an option in this case. However, the caps of glass syringes are tapered toward the top and that’s the aspect of which Schreiner MediPharm’s new Mini-Cap-Lock takes advantage. A small adapter cap is attached precisely to the upper part of the syringe cap and serves as an adhesion area for fixing the label in place at the top. The label with an integrated perforation wraps around the cap adapter and the cap as well as the syringe barrel. When the cap closure is opened, the label is partially destroyed—thus clearly and irreversibly indicating the initial opening of the label.

The combination of cap adapter and label enables processing in the conventional pharmaceutical manufacturing process. Unlike shrink solutions, no heat is applied so that Mini-Cap-Lock is suitable also for syringes with sensitive substances. In addition, the label construction is a major benefit of Mini-Cap-Lock: On the one hand, the label serves as first-opening indication and on the other hand, the extended label area offers additional space for product information, color codes, and the integration of additional features such as anti-counterfeiting features, light protection, or an RFID chip. Among other things, the RFID functionality enables digital identification on unit level, for instance to optimize the supply chain in hospital settings or to avoid medication errors and can optionally be extended by digital first-opening indication.

In addition, it is possible to dispense with the blister pack when storing syringes with Mini-Cap-Lock in hospital settings because the special construction seals the syringe and ensures its integrity. That saves space and benefits the environment at the same time. With Mini-Cap-Lock, both the adapter and the label are customized to suit the specific application. The utilization of Mini-Cap-Lock by healthcare staff is easy and safe. Whether the medicine has previously been opened or possibly tampered with can be detected at first glance. Furthermore, thanks to the firm connection of the cap adapter and primary closure, the syringe can be opened as usual with just one flick of the wrist. Patient protection and ease of use thus go hand in hand.

Closure seals for pharmaceutical packaging pose an important initial hurdle to counterfeiters. The more precisely the seal’s security technologies are adapted to the respective threat scenario, the better the seal will perform its intended purpose. Therefore, Schreiner MediPharm, supported by the Schreiner ProSecure competence center specializing in security technologies, develops customized sealing solutions. Security seals for secondary packaging can clearly and irreversibly indicate first opening as well as removal and reclosing of a seal, thus protecting the integrity of packaging.

Effective Removal and Destruction Mechanisms

A variety of removal and destruction mechanisms, which may also be combined, are suitable for irreversibly indicating the first opening of a seal, depending on the specific requirement and type of folding box.

Fiber-Tear

While the seal is being removed, the cardboard surface of the packaging is destroyed.

Film-Tear

The seal is designed to tear while being opened, resulting in its irreversible destruction.

Void Effect

An irreversible customized inscription or holographic effect appears when the seal is being opened for the first time.

Functional Requirements

All relevant security requirements, functional aspects, and special challenges are fed into the specific design of the seal. Should the seal feature special branding and individual information, should it be suitable for cryo applications, should it be traceable? Those are just some of the questions to be considered in realizing the customized seals. By integrating additional overt, covert, or digital authentication features the seal can also provide proof of authenticity.

Extensive Tests

The materials and adhesives used must be perfectly adapted to the respective application and medicine packaging. To ensure that, Schreiner MediPharm, following the definition of the specific requirements to be met by the desired seal, performs extensive tests. This results in finding the optimal solution that meets the requirements of the EU Falsified Medicines Directive and ISO 21976 “Packaging – Tamper Verification Features for Medicinal Product Packaging.”

Wide Range of Combination Options

Customers get to decide in detail how a secure seal conforming to their corporate identity will be designed by choosing from a wide range of options and possible configurations. Schreiner MediPharm ensures that all key criteria for optimal and reliable functionality of the seal are considered, thus creating a unique and tamper-proof closure seal.