Alliance of Rx packagers and printers gets serious.

Copapharm Europe SCRL (Societe Cooperative Responsabilite Limitee) has moved from being a loose association of independent packaging and labeling converters to a more formal cooperative grouping. Currently, Copapharm Europe has 10 member companies operating from 19 manufacturing sites in nine countries. They have a collective capacity of 6.5 billion folding carton units, 4.6 billion leaflet units and 3.2 billion label units. The members are August Faller (Germany), Packart and Rotanotice (France), Palladio and Zannini (Italy), Goldprint (Belgium), Storey Evans (UK) and Icesa, Pans and Cartonplex (Spain).

The previous alliance was developed as a result of pan-European pharmaceutical and healthcare companies seeking print partners with local knowledge. The aim was to capitalize on the extensive capability of partners to allow them to consolidate packaging requirements across several European countries. Alliance members are said to benefit by gaining access to support, cooperation and any available capacity when involved in major and complex projects. The cooperative also helps establish quality standards and continuous benchmarking so ensuring that ensure Copapharm customers obtain the best printing and packaging solutions.

Bruno Chorzelewski, chairman of the new holding company, said that each member company now held an equal share in the new company and that the relationship between member companies would be enhanced: "We have strengthened the objectives of the original alliance, and with this change are demonstrating to existing and potential customers that we have grown into a tangible organization. This can only benefit our customers in the future."

* Following trials, Copapharm Europe has adopted Artwork Systems' PA:CT (Packaging:Certified Technology) to obtain secure and trackable PDF processing in the workflow for it members' printed packaging operations.