The packaging industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by protection from light, shelf life, tamper-proof, and recyclability, and growing importance of technologies such as 3D printing, IoT, blockchain, and hologram scanners. In the last three years alone, there have been over 427,000 patents filed and granted in the packaging industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Internet of Things in packaging: automated vial filling. Buy the report here.

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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 77,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the packaging industry, there are 30+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Automated vial filling is a key innovation area in Internet of Things

Automated vial filling refers to the process of filling vials or containers with fluid products, particularly for medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food products or the like, using machines and robotic technologies. The process involves various steps such as forming vials, filling them with fluid product, sealing and printing information on them, while ensuring the quality, safety, and sterility of the products.

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 60+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established packaging companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of automated vial filling.

Key players in automated vial filling – a disruptive innovation in the packaging industry

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.   

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.  

Patent volumes related to automated vial filling

Company Total patents (2010 - 2022) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Amgen 106 Unlock Company Profile
F. Hoffmann-La Roche 83 Unlock Company Profile
Danaher 70 Unlock Company Profile
Sanofi 49 Unlock Company Profile
Robert Bosch Stiftung 47 Unlock Company Profile
Becton Dickinson 47 Unlock Company Profile
Carl Zeiss Stiftung 47 Unlock Company Profile
Medical Instill Technologies 41 Unlock Company Profile
Schott Kaisha 39 Unlock Company Profile
Pfizer 38 Unlock Company Profile
Vetter & Co Apotheker 36 Unlock Company Profile
Telebrands 29 Unlock Company Profile
Automobile Reseau Tunisien et Services 24 Unlock Company Profile
Marchesini Group 21 Unlock Company Profile
West Pharmaceutical Services 18 Unlock Company Profile
Kocher-Plastik Maschinenbau 16 Unlock Company Profile
AptarGroup 14 Unlock Company Profile
Baxter International 14 Unlock Company Profile
Terumo 13 Unlock Company Profile
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries 12 Unlock Company Profile
New Injection Systems 12 Unlock Company Profile
Syntegon Technology 11 Unlock Company Profile
BC Partners 11 Unlock Company Profile
Clair Global 11 Unlock Company Profile
AMW 10 Unlock Company Profile
3M 10 Unlock Company Profile
Truking Technology 10 Unlock Company Profile
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries 10 Unlock Company Profile
GSK 10 Unlock Company Profile
W. L. Gore & Associates 9 Unlock Company Profile
Kiefel 8 Unlock Company Profile
Fresenius 7 Unlock Company Profile
General Electric 7 Unlock Company Profile
Coherus BioSciences 7 Unlock Company Profile
Coesia 7 Unlock Company Profile
Groninger and Co., 6 Unlock Company Profile
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries 6 Unlock Company Profile
American Securities 6 Unlock Company Profile
ProJect Pharmaceutics 6 Unlock Company Profile
Muffin 5 Unlock Company Profile
OSARTIS 5 Unlock Company Profile
Kabushiki Kaisha Hosokawa Yoko 5 Unlock Company Profile
Gerhard Schubert 5 Unlock Company Profile
ARaymond 4 Unlock Company Profile
Lipont Pharmaceuticals 4 Unlock Company Profile
Seiko Epson 3 Unlock Company Profile
Hikma Pharmaceuticals 3 Unlock Company Profile
Xi'an Libang Pharmaceuticals 3 Unlock Company Profile
OPTIMA Packaging Group 3 Unlock Company Profile
Dr. Rentschler 3 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Amgen is one of the leading patent filers in automated vial filling. Some other key patent filers in the packaging industry include F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Danaher, Sanofi, Robert Bosch Stiftung, and Carl Zeiss Stiftung. OPTIMA, which is among top patent filers, unveiled OPTIMA MultiUse automatic vial filling system recently. According to the company, this machine can process different packaging sizes effectively. It is cost-effective and is said to handle liquid, viscous and freeze-dried solutions.

In terms of application diversity, Sanofi leads the pack, while Seiko Epson and Amgen stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Amgen held the top position, followed by Pfizer and Sanofi.

Automated vial filling will gain traction, as pharmaceutical manufacturers strive to meet the growing demand for medications and vaccines, while ensuring precision, safety, compliance, and cost-effectiveness. To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the packaging industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Internet of Things (IoT) in Packaging.

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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.