Bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing is a growing industry and all drug manufacturing companies require certain supplies for the manufacturing process. Supplies for bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing vary by the type of pharmaceutical product produced. No mater what type of bulk pharmaceuticals you produce there are businesses that supply bulk supplies for you. If your company produces pharmaceuticals, find the right supplies at the right price point to boost both productivity and sales.

Supplies for pharmaceutical manufacturing include machinery, capsules or vials, and packaging products. The most important supply is machinery, which is used in all facets of the manufacturing process including packaging machinery, incaspulators and caplet or tablet machines. The best machinery for your product boosts productivity. Caspules, vials or bonding agents are needed when making pills or serums. Accessories are used to package the product for sale or shipping.

1. Purchase bulk drug manufacturing machinery.

2. Locate capsules and vials for bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing.

3. Buy packaging products for bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy machinery from bulk drugs and intermediates manufacturers

Bulk drug manufacturing machinery is a vital part of any bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing company. This equipment creates and packages the bulk pharmaceuticals. Packaging machines such as incapsulators, bottle fillers, cappers and sealers increase the product output.

I recommend: EquipNet carries used and refurbished equipment for all types of bulk drug manufacturing. Visit the Zhejiang Hualian Pharmaceutical Machinery Company to find a variety of machines made for bulk drug manufacturers. Browse the list of bulk drug product machines at Machinery & Equipment.

Locate capsules and vials for bulk pharma manufacturers

To effectively manufacture bulk pharmaceuticals, a company must buy capsules, vials or bounding agents to create the product. The type of product your company creates and the type of machinery you own dictates what production materials your company needs.

I recommend: Buy serum vials and seals in all shapes and sizes at Voigt Global Distribution. Capsuline supplies a wide variety of empty capsules that work in most bulk pharmaceutical manufacturers' incaspulators. Purchase empty gel caps and vials at Vitacost.com.

Purchase accessories for bulk pharmaceuticals industry

Accessories for the pharmaceutical industry include all items used to package the product such as pill bottles, boxes and lids. These accessories come in all shapes and sizes in order to fit the manufacturer's requirements.

I recommend: Find bulk drug product accessories such as pill counters and bottles at eSurg. Container & Packaging Supply provides caps, bottles and containers to package pills. Specialty Bottle supplies a wide variety of bottles and containers for pharmaceuticals.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  With the exception of herbal products, pharmaceuticals are regulated by the FDA. Research the proper way to process these pharmaceuticals.
• •  Most pill bottle caps include an inner safety seal. Once the caps are screwed on tightly, the seal secures itself to the rim of the bottle.

Bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing continues to develop new and better systems to provide bulk pharmaceuticals with the basic materials for finished drugs and other modalities. By sticking with the same bulk drugs and intermediates manufacturers, you may be missing out on new developments made by other bulk pharma manufacturers. Consider broadening your vendor relationships to remain on the forefront of new discoveries.

More companies are providing information about bulk pharmaceutical manufacturers through global exchanges that were not available in the past. A bulk drug manufacturing supplier overseas may be able to supply your need for bulk drug product in a more efficient manner, despite transportation issues and costs. Look for bulk pharmaceuticals industry professionals that can deliver your requirements while meeting all the stringent oversights provided by government regulators.

1. Keep up with information about bulk pharmaceuticals

2. Use a third party to access global bulk drug manufacturers

3. Hire a consultant to find the best use of bulk drugs and intermediates manufacturers

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get a handle on the latest bulk drug process development

It's tough to make decisions based on old and outdated information. Find publications that serve the bulk drug industry and keep up your subscriptions. Join with others in bulk drugs and intermediates manufacturers associations and networking groups to hear about the changes and developments that will affect your purchasing and delivery decisions.

I recommend: In Pharma provides the pharmaceutical industry with news about personnel changes, bulk drug process development and other breaking news affecting the industry. Outsourcing Pharma will keep you up-to-date on the global marketplace for the bulk pharmaceuticals industry.

Reach out for global access to bulk drug manufacturers

Countries around the world are often making advances in bulk drug manufacturing and other bulk drug process development that is far out passing their American peers. While you may not have instant access to international bulk drugs and intermediates manufacturers, you can take advantage of the contacts made by global intermediaries who can open trade markets and opportunities immediately.

I recommend: Intota can hook you up with experts that have decades of experience with firms such as DuPont, who can recommend the best sources of bulk pharmaceuticals for your needs. Campbell Alliance has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for decades and has contacts all over the world.

Educate yourself with a bulk pharmaceuticals consultant

Explore the options that bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing consultants can bring to your business. Request a review of your current bulk drug manufacturers and their pricing and practices to discover what can be replaced or updated. You can bring in a bulk pharmaceuticals industry consultant to make recommendations and educate you and your senior staff about the best new approaches available.

I recommend: Deaton will watch your bottom line as they make recommendations for finding and using various bulk drug manufacturers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use a bulk drug manufacturing expert annually to look at your compliance and vendor programs to keep you up-to-date. Consider it your bulk drug product audit that is as important as your tax accountant to keep you in the best position.

Bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing safety is of serious concern to all. Patients and customers want to know that the manufacturers have processed drugs and chemicals safely. The government wants to ensure that bulk drugs and intermediate manufacturers carry out proper procedures to protect the public. Pharmacies seek safe pharmaceutical products to keep a good reputation with customers. Manufacturers carry out safety procedures when creating pharmaceutical products in bulk to avoid lawsuits or being shut down by the government.

Companies can take several measures to encourage and uphold bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing safety. Education, regulations, and research all contribute to the safety of bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing. When thinking about the ways to increase bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing safety, consider the following:

1. The government places safety regulations on bulk drug manufacturers.

2. Educational research leads to new discoveries in bulk drug manufacturing safety procedures.

3. New technology and equipment designs increase the safety of bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing practices.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Study government regulations on the manufacturing of bulk pharmaceuticals

The government places regulations on the bulk pharmaceuticals industry. Government workers inspect bulk drug process development to ensure that proper measures are in place for safe manufacturing and distribution of pharmaceuticals. These inspections include the building and facility as well as temperature storage, handling of raw materials, processing techniques, packaging, labeling, and expiration dates. All contribute to the safety of bulk drug manufacturing.

I recommend: The Bureau of Labor Statistics discusses the employment of workers in the bulk drug industry solely for the purpose of safety and quality assurance control. The Food and Drug Administration publishes a document describing the safety inspection process of bulk drug manufacturers.

Read articles and research studies on the safety of bulk drug manufacturing

Educational articles and research studies describe bulk drug manufacturing safety precautions (both required and company-initiated). Articles discuss new equipment, new techniques, and new safety discoveries. Research studies provide statistics and findings on the safety and quality of bulk drug manufacturing.

I recommend: Chips Books offers a book titled Guidelines for Safe Handling of Powders and Bulk Solids. The book gives the bulk drug industry standards and guidelines for handling raw materials. Pharma Manufacturing has an article detailing a research study of the safety in bulk pharma manufacturing. The study discusses the compliance of companies with standards and the traceability of the production process.

Use equipment that increases the safety and purity of bulk pharmaceuticals

New technologies and equipment also play a part in the safety of bulk drug manufacturing. Computers calculate chemical ingredients down to micro units. Advanced equipment keeps pharmaceuticals more sterile and more precisely regulates dosage and temperature.

I recommend: News from Thomas Net discusses a pharmaceutical valve that more safely handles capsules and pills. Pepperl-Fuchs, a German-based pharmaceutical equipment business with a branch in Ohio, discusses how to increase the Safety Integrity Level (SIL) of bulk drug manufacturing.

Bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing is one of the most important parts of any pharmaceutical sales company. If your research has developed a new drug that has received Food and Drug Administration approval, the only to create it in large quantities, without buying the equipment yourself, is to use a bulk pharmaceutical manufacturer. When you are browsing manufacturer's websites you may come across some terms you are not aware of. Reviewing these terms will help you know exactly how the manufacturer works.

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Clean room

A clean room is a enclosed room that is completely controlled. Clean rooms protect against pollutants, airborne particulates and other contaminants. Clean rooms are temperature controlled and are free of bacteria, viruses and pathogens.

I recommend: TechTarget has a more detailed description of clean rooms. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary also has more information about clean rooms available online.

CMC

Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls or CMC means that at least part of pharmaceutical development is shown to be in control and proceeding properly. This normally refers to the way the substance is made.

I recommend: UC Irvine Extension has more information about CMC. Pharmaceutical Product Development also has more information about Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls.

HACCP

HACCP or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points is a plan that all manufacturers of foods and drugs must have. The HACCP is a plan that reviews the manufacturing process to locate points in the process that could cause contamination.

I recommend: Visit the International HACCP Alliance for a detailed description of what  HACCP entails.

cGMP

cGMP stands for current good manufacturing practice. cGMP is a set of rules and regulations put into place by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These laws are to ensure that products are tested, pure and effective.

I recommend: Read more information about current good manufacturing practice at PERI. What-is.Net also has more on cGMP.

DMF

A DMF is a drug master file. This is a file that contains all the ingredients in a drug, all tests run on the drug and any known side effects. The DMF also provides the purity levels of the drug and the cGMP of the manufacturer. This file is submitted to the FDA and all files are searchable online.

I recommend: Find regulations and full information about the drug master file at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Search through drug master files at USActives.

cGLP

cGLP or Current Good Laboratory Practices is another set of rules and regulations set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These regulations cover the testing process of drugs.

I recommend: Visit The Center for Professional Innovation and Education for more details on cGLP. ComplianceOnline.com also has information on regulation for cGLP.