Corked Vials,8

Story of Vials

vials are small closed or closable vessel especially for liquids. The words “vial” come from the Greek word “phiale” meaning “a broad flat container”. Latin: “phiala”, Late Latin: “fiola”, Middle English: “fiole” and “viole”.

A vial (also phial) is a relatively small glass vessel or bottle, especially used to store medication as liquids, powders or in other forms like capsules. They can also be sample vessels e.g. for use in auto sampler devices in analytical chromatography. The glass can be colorless or colored, clear or amber. There are different types of closure systems, for examples, Screw vials (closed with screw cap or dropper/pipette), Lip vials (closed with cork or plastic stopper), Crimp vials (closed with a rubber stopper and a metal cap). A vial can have a tubular shape or a bottle-like shape with a neck. The bottom is usually flat unlike test tubes, which have usually a rounded bottom. Modern vials can be made of plastic (e.g. polypropylene). These can have other closure systems like a flip-top/snap cap.

As the medical technology is developing day by day, the drug packaging, such as vial, is also following the development trends.

According to the study of pharmaceutical packaging, world drug packaging demand will grow 6.3 percent annually through 2013. Developed countries will continue to dominate demand while China, India and Brazil are between the fastest growing. Refillable inhalers and syringes offer the best growth opportunities, while plastic bottles will remain the largest segment.

This study analyzes the $46 billion world drug packaging industry. It presents historical demand data for the years 1998, 2003 and 2008, and forecasts for 2013 and 2018 by raw material and resin, product (e.g., bottles, blister packaging, refillable syringes, potential vials and impulse, pharmaceutical pouches, refillable inhalers, medication tubes, closures, labels), world region and for 14 countries.

The study also considers market environment factors, details industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles 37 industry players, including Rexam, MeadWestvaco and Gerresheimer.

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[E] On cork: interview with Amorim