Detecting tampering, safeguarding integrity, digitizing supply chains—these requirements are playing an increasing role in pharmaceutical packaging. With its new Cap-Lock Solution for Vials, Schreiner MediPharm in cooperation with CDMO OECHSLERhealth has developed a solution addressing precisely this challenge. The holistic security solution was unveiled at Pharmapack in Paris and met with strong interest.

The integrity of primary containers is of central importance along the entire pharmaceutical supply chain—from the filling stage to administration to the patient. In the case of vials, flip-off caps offer a certain level of protection but are prone to tampering without it being detectable by the user. That’s exactly where Schreiner MediPharm’s Cap-Lock comes into play by enabling a first-opening indication that is unequivocal, irreversible, and clearly visible. Due to the interlocking of the specially developed plastic cap from OECHSLERhealth with the flip-off cap of the vial, and the Cap-Lock Label applied on top of it featuring a special security design, any opening attempt is immediately visible, precluding any undetected recapping.

Analogue Security Meets Digital Intelligence
Besides its analog security function Cap-Lock for Vials supports digitalization of pharmaceutical applications. A label-integrated RFID chip enables digital first-opening indication and tracking of individual vials on unit level. The RFID functionality enables thus automated medication management in hospital settings and helps optimize processes and avoid inventory errors. Previously opened vials can be automatically detected, which signifcantly enhances patient safety. An additional NFC functionality enables smartphone-based authentication and supports product and brand protection.

Combined Expertise
The implementation of Cap-Lock for Vials is the result of the targeted collaboration of two specialists. While Schreiner MediPharm contributed its many years of expertise in the development of multifunctional high-tech labels and comprehensive RFID know-how, OECHSLERhealth designed the custom-fit plastic cap. The focus was on achieving an efficient, reliable, and feasible solution meeting the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry in terms of product and patient safety.

Strong Interest at Pharmapack
At Pharmapack in Paris, Schreiner MediPharm presented Cap-Lock for Vials to an international audience of industry professionals for the first time. Response at the trade show booth was very positive. Especially the combination of clear first-opening indication and digital functionality met with strong interest by pharmaceutical manufacturers and packaging experts. Cap-Lock shows how analog security and digital added value can be effectively combined and how innovative packaging solutions deliver concrete answers to growing demands made on product integrity, transparency, and automation.

Visitors strolling through LogiMAT 2026, the biggest logistics trade show, experienced an industry in a state of transformation: accelerated automation, increased use of AI, and the need for resource-conserving processes defined the atmosphere in the trade show halls.

Just like we normally carry an ID card or driver’s license with us to identify ourselves products are going to carry their digital identity with them in the future—inseparably linked to the physical component. That identity will accompany the product throughout its entire lifecycle, forming the basis for the Digital Product Pass (DPP) with which the European Union intends to promote transparency, traceability, and more sustainable usage models. Robust RFID solutions, provided by Schreiner ProTech among others, deliver suitable markings for that purpose.

Between trade fair booths, live demonstrations, and professional conversations, there was one thing that soon became clear at Intertraffic in Amsterdam: Today, traffic and registration systems can hardly be imagined in isolation anymore. The crucial aspect is how identification, infrastructure, and data flows mesh. Exactly at that interface, Schreiner PrinTrust, DKT, and DataCollect engaged with a presentation that focused on fusing various technological levels into a joint approach.

This idea took on a tangible form at Schreiner PrinTrust, where evolutions of the Third License Plate—from RFID-UHF-based versions to hybrid variants with UHF and HF/NFC—took center stage.

The added value is evident in the process logic: Visual inspections and digital checks do not have to be mutually exclusive but can be pursued in parallel. That’s relevant especially where workflows are progressively automated but manual control steps continue to be important. The solutions were complemented by functional improvements including more precise tamper detection, optimized writability for customer-specific requirements, and additional design options at the front and back.

Another detail that received a lot of attention from government representatives, toll providers, and international system integrators visiting the trade fair booth was the combination of RFID and silver holograms. Where in the past design-related restrictions had to be considered in many cases, the current approach enables free holographic design—regardless of the RFID technology used and without any influence on radio performance, resulting in a closer interaction between visual checks and digital authentication.

DKT complemented this view as a manufacturer of vehicle license plates and traffic signs. DataCollect contributed the perspective of mobility data-with software for data acquisition, evaluation, and analysis.

As a result, Intertraffic became a suitable setting for new system architectures that envision traffic safety, efficiency, and digital control together. An approach that will continue to gain importance in the wake of increasing automation in the mobility environment.

Before an RFID tag can operate reliably on a factory floor, in an engine compartment, or within logistics processes, its behavior must be clearly understood under interference-free conditions. This requires so-called free-field measurements. Experts at Schreiner’s LogiData competence center are among the few providers able to perform this type of analysis entirely in-house.

Such measurements demand generous space and a carefully controlled environment: no vehicles, no reflective metal surfaces, no nearby building edges, and no other sources of interference. Only under these conditions can RFID transponders be measured in a way that reflects their true behavior. “Without free-field testing, we’d only be seeing half the picture,” explains RFID expert Hartmut Wiederrecht. In indoor environments, metal shelving, building walls, or cable installations influence the HF field. Reflections and absorption effects can shift or distort the measurement results.

When the Laboratory Meets Reality

Many tests naturally begin in a measurement chamber, where RFID tags can be compared under standardized, reproducible conditions. However, laboratory measurements represent only part of real-world performance. Free-field tests are the only way to assess how read range, tag orientation, positioning, and the surrounding environment truly affect results. “Good laboratory values,” Wiederrecht notes, “don’t automatically translate into good performance in real applications.” This is why free-field measurements are essential for reliable conclusions. They provide insights not only into the tag itself, but also into the reader used—which in practice often proves to be the dominant system factor. In particular, the sensitivity of the reader’s receiver influences signal return and therefore the achievable read distance. Ultimately, real RFID performance always results from the interaction between the tag, the reader, and the
application environment.

RFID Tags with a Character

As free-field measurements get underway, antennas move in precisely controlled patterns while the measurement software records and plots performance curves. This process, the expert explains, reveals the tag’s “true character.” Understanding this behavior is essential before an RFID-equipped component can be reliably identified in operation. For customers, this translates above all into confidence that their processes will run stably and predictably.

 

Data for Reliable Performance

Once testing is complete, the equipment is packed away and the collected data moves into analysis. These results form the basis for future customer solutions, helping ensure that RFID delivers consistent performance not only under laboratory conditions, but also in real-world applications.

With the Quanta™ pen, SHL Medical has introduced a new injector platform that has been developed for weight management therapies. The multi-dose platform device addresses central requirements of modern long-term therapies. Schreiner MediPharm has complemented the Quanta™ pen with a multifunctional and perfectly fitting label solution.

Platform for Exacting Requirements
SHL Medical is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of self-injection solutions headquartered in Switzerland. The Quanta™ pen was developed specifically for cardio-metabolic long-term therapies and addresses key aspects such as intuitive handling, consistent dosing performance, efficient operational costs, and sustainability. The automatic spring-driven mechanism with fixed dose setting reduces injection preparation steps and supports a steady injection rhythm—an important prerequisite for medication adherence and patient safety in the case of weekly use.

Short Time to Market
To satisfy the rapidly growing demand for weight management medications, reliable system solutions are crucial. The combination of a platform pen and functional label offers precisely that advantage. Schreiner MediPharm developed a perfectly fitting label that adopts SHL Medical’s branding while integrating added functional value. An anti-slip varnish improves grip and supports safe handling while a holographic effect serves as an overt security feature and enhances the design. The pen plus label facilitates fast integration into pharmaceutical manufacturing thus supporting shorter time to market.

Connectivity and Differentiation
As a special feature, a label-integrated NFC chip enables a wide range of options for digital applications and easy interaction with the end user. Content such as product information, user guidance, or service offerings can be conveniently read via smartphone. In addition, the functional label provides further options for customized differentiation. Additional security, design, or functional elements can be integrated as needed to specifically adapt the pen to the brand, application, or market strategy.
This co-marketing project is a case in point showing how two leading experts pool their expertise to functionally and digitally extend platform devices in combination with specialty labels.

Trust is built where smart solutions work seamlessly—whether in everyday life, in hospitals, or in pharmaceutical manufacturing. That’s where RFID solutions from Schreiner MediPharm come into play: with high-performance, customized Pharma-RFID-Labels that can reliably be integrated into existing processes and support patients. The new RFID video shows why “Pharma-RFID that outperforms” is far more than just a claim.

In the pharmaceutical sector, RFID is a lot more than a technology for identification—it’s a crucial element for reliable processes and transparency along the entire supply chain. Schreiner MediPharm develops RFID-Labels that are designed precisely for that purpose: powerful, robust, and consistently tailored to the special requirements of pharmaceutical products.

Schreiner MediPharm combines many years of pharmaceutical expertise with comprehensive development and testing capabilities as well as scalable production capacities. This results in RFID solutions that can smoothly be integrated into existing production and logistics processes and reliably ensure their functionality across the entire product lifecycle.

A look at Schreiner MediPharm’s new video shows what convinces pharmaceutical customers day by day: RFID solutions that don’t have to be made to fit but that are the right fit, plus a development partner supporting them from the initial idea to series production. See how RFID from Schreiner MediPharm builds trust—watch the video.

Get to know the benefits of the RFID solutions in the video:

A booming market, high demand, and growing risk of counterfeiting—GLP-1 applications, often colloquially referred to as “weight-loss injections”, make new demands on packaging and on the device. Schreiner MediPharm has developed a multifunctional label for pens and autoinjectors combining safety, ease of use, and design. A closer look at the details reveals how this functional label sustainably strengthens product, brand, and patient protection.

Secure Supply Chain
GLP-1 refers to a class of active ingredients (APIs) that, among other things, is used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity and is frequently administered via self-injection using pens or autoinjectors. These drugs are particularly attractive targets for product counterfeiters. That’s why the functional label from Schreiner MediPharm with new design elements integrates analog and digital security features for reliable product authentication. Overt features such as ShiftSecure with a positive-negative effect depending on the viewing angle, semi-covert features such as microtext and InfraredSecure, as well as covert, smartphone-readable printed codes, or integrated NFC functionalities enable multi-level authentication—from the pharmaceutical manufacturer to
the patient.

Detection of Tampering
A key feature of the label’s design is its irreversible first-opening indication. Since the label partially covers the pen cap, any attempt to open it becomes clearly visible—with the naked eye or also optionally by digital means via NFC plus a smartphone. Tampering attempts, unnoticed recapping, or illegal reuse of the label are clearly detectable. The label’s construction with reverse-side printing permanently protects all product information against abrasion and additionally prevents reutilization of the pen because in the case of an unauthorized removal of the label parts of the printing layer remain on the surface.

 

Ease of Use And Security of Supply
Enhanced convenience when using the device was another focus of the development. The label surface that has been enlarged due to the included use of the cap offers space for larger font and better readability as well as for customized design with high recognition value. The integration of an NFC chip provides additional options for interactive user support. Scalable production capacities at Schreiner MediPharm and smooth integration of the labels into high-speed labeling of pens and autoinjectors contribute to an agile and secure pharmaceutical supply chain.

The digital transformation is in full swing also in the pharmaceutical industry. Smart and interactive solutions for process optimization, digital tracing, authentication, and patient support are becoming increasingly important. But it takes more than a chip in a label for truly reliable performance of applications in the healthcare sector—it takes in-depth expertise and that’s exactly where Schreiner MediPharm displays its fortes.

Drawing on more than twenty years of experience in RFID technology specifically for pharmaceutical applications, Schreiner MediPharm is a leading supplier of smart label solutions for the pharmaceutical industry committed to the maxim: Pharma-RFID that outperforms—in other words, RFID that absolutely reliably performs under the special conditions of the pharmaceutical sector. “Many suppliers talk about smart applications—we make them a reality. Our claim is to achieve smooth RFID imple­mentation from the first test to final use,” says Sebastian Münscher, Senior Product Manager RFID/NFC Solutions at Schreiner MediPharm.

Tailored Technology for Complex Requirements

Whereas standard RFID-Labels are often stretched to the limits as early as in high-speed processing—for instance, due to chip breakage or antenna issues—Schreiner MediPharm has developed unique robust label designs that are specifically tailored to the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry. Whether for vials, syringes, pens, or secondary packaging, the solutions are designed to combine top quality, scalabil­ity, and process reliability. Thanks to extensive research and development capacities, Schreiner MediPharm offers a wide range of customized RFID solutions: from application-specific chip selection to specifically developed antenna geometries to extensive testing opportunities.

Technology Leader with Industry Knowledge

Schreiner MediPharm excels particularly in terms of combining technological know-how and in-depth understanding of pharmaceutical requirements. As a long-standing A-level supplier to leading global pharmaceutical corporations, the company draws on detailed knowledge of the regulatory hurdles, production processes, and security requirements of its customers. “An RFID project is no standard solution. We support our customers from the initial idea to series production—including intensive testing, integration into pharma packaging lines, and validation,” Münscher explains. State-of-the-art production systems and flexible scaling options enable us to produce even large volumes at consistently high levels of quality. At the same time, stringent quality management ensures that the RFID functionality is reliably retained up until it reaches the final user—be it in bulk reading processes in hospital settings or tapping with a smartphone. That not only optimizes logistics processes along the supply chain but also enables interactions with patients and healthcare staff—for instance, by means of NFC solutions for authentication or digital first-opening indications.

Smart Solution, True Added Value

The benefits for pharmaceutical manufacturers are obvious: Reliable RFID solutions from Schreiner MediPharm minimize failure rates, prevent production downtimes due to faulty labels, and avoid higher costs. At the same time, they increase patient safety and contribute to differentiation in the market. With every successfully implemented solution, Schreiner MediPharm underscores its role as a pioneer in the field of pharmaceutical RFID-Labels—not only technologically but also strategically. “Our customers expect technology that works—we deliver solutions that stand the test of real-world settings. That makes us the leading partner for pharma RFID worldwide,” concludes Münscher.

With seven inspection lanes and a daily capacity of 650 vehicles, the facility performs tasks that are comparable with an official vehicle inspection in Germany. The inspection center sets new standards in traffic safety and vehicle management and meets stringent standards according to ARS 1355, the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO).

 

Four Partners, One Solution

The project resulted from a collaboration between MAHA, Applus, DKT Deutsche Kennzeichen Technik GmbH (DKT), and Schreiner PrinTrust (SPR). MAHA supplied the inspection technology, Applus was responsible for quality assurance and inspection processes, and DKT provided the digital platform including app solutions. The basis for reliable vehicle identification is also provided by the RFID/NFC label known as the “third license plate” from Schreiner PrinTrust. Bernhard Gött, CEO of DKT, explained, “With the labels from Schreiner PrinTrust, we securely identify vehicles, thus creating the basis for a smart inspection and tracking system.” Dr. Kai Schnapauff, Director of Schreiner PrinTrust, added, “Our technology with UHF and NFC enables flexible RFID reading on both short and long ranges and can easily be expanded with additional functions in the future.” The label can thus not only be read when entering the inspection facility but also serve additional purposes such as future issuing of driver’s licenses or the administration of taxi permits.

A Project with a Signal Effect

The inspection facility in Zanzibar shows how smart technology and international partnerships can substantially advance traffic safety and digital vehicle management. For Schreiner PrinTrust, it is further proof of how versatile and robust the third license plate can be applied worldwide and what potential it may still be able to tap.