New show offers a Total Pharma experience

A Centre of Excellence for the pharmaceutical industry has been launched by Total Processing and Packaging 2004.

Total Pharma will offer visitors and exhibitors the opportunity to discuss all the major issues affecting the pharmaceutical packaging and processing industry, while also benefiting from the opportunity to explore the cross-fertilisation of technologies between different market sectors. Among the special features will be a series of seminars and workshops organised by the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), covering topics including: • Cleaning and Cleaning Validation – Food and Pharma; What are the Common Areas of Interest in Processing and Packaging technology? • Hygienic Processing Equipment – Generating Standards for the Food Industry and areas of common interest • Innovation in Process Equipment Design – Alternative Systems and Materials • Equipment Automation – Regulatory expectations and Computer System solutions. The PharmaChem Group is the latest sponsor of the Total Pharma Centre of Excellence, which has already gained the support of Cleanroom Technology and its sister publication Manufacturing Chemist, as well as ISPE. The PharmaChem Group is part of the Processing and Packaging Machinery Association (PPMA), and was formed in 2002. It has 35 members, all of whom supply machinery systems and support to manufacturing companies in the global pharmaceutical, chemical, medical products and personal care products sectors. Its objectives include: • Exploring partnership and collaboration opportunities with customer organisations and industry professional bodies • Providing information on technological, market and regulatory developments • Exploring opportunities for shared initiatives within the group. A spokesman for the group said: "We have already proposed the creation and recognition of a regulated 'passport' to be held by all service technicians and contractors working in the industry. This will serve to uphold the necessary standards of safety and hygiene and will reduce costs and inefficiencies for suppliers and customers alike." A working party of about 10 manufacturing companies is pursuing this objective, and passport-training courses should be available early next year. The opportunity to discuss the progress of this and other initiatives within the Total Pharma Centre has been welcomed by the group: "Our members see the co-hosting of the Centre of Excellence at Total 2004 as wholly within our industry remit and look forward to stimulating debate and discussion during the show." Total Processing & Packaging 2004 was formed by a joint venture agreement between Reed Exhibition Companies and the PPMA. The event will comprise the REC exhibitions Pakex, Interphex and Eurochem, and the PPMA's Machinery Only Show. It will be held at the Birmingham NEC from March 29-April 1.