High-Quality Cold Forming Foil for Pharma & Healthcare Packaging
High-Quality Cold Forming Foil for Pharma & Healthcare Packaging
Jul . 30, 2025
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Cold forming foil, also known as alu alu foil, is pivotal in pharmaceutical packaging for its formidable barrier properties. As the global demand for high-safety, high-barrier medication packaging surges, innovative solutions like Lucky’s cold forming foil are shaping industry standards. This article explores in-depth the material’s technical advantages, manufacturing process, applications from pharma to healthcare kiosks, and market trends—empowering industry decision-makers with authentic data and professional insight.
Industry Trends: Cold Forming Foil in Global Pharmaceutical Packaging
According to Grand View Research, 2023, the global cold forming foil (alu alu foil) market size reached USD 1.3 billion, projected to expand at a CAGR of 5.8% through 2028, mainly driven by growth in pharmaceutical blister packaging and strict regulatory compliance (EU/FDA/ISO).
Healthcare digitalization has boosted the application of cold forming foil in patient self service kiosks, hospital self service machines, and hospital check-in kiosks, especially for safe medicine dispensing and anti-counterfeit packaging solutions.
Chinese, Indian, and European pharmaceutical industries are the fastest-growing adopters, favoring alu alu cold forming foil for its optimal barrier against oxygen, moisture, UV & gas penetration.
What Is Cold Forming Foil? [Structure & Technical Explanation]
Cold forming foil, commonly referred to as alu alu base foil, is a multilayer laminate widely used in the pharmaceutical sector for sensitive drugs. Its typical structure comprises:
OPA (Oriented Polyamide): Provides formability and mechanical strength.AL (Aluminum, ≥45μm): Offers complete light, moisture, and gas barrier.PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride): Ensures easy forming, sealing, and compatibility with pharmaceuticals.
Layer
Material
Purpose
Typical Thickness (μm)
Top Layer
OPA
Mechanical Strength & Formability
25
Middle
Aluminum
Moisture/Gas/Light Barrier
45-60
Bottom
PVC
Seal & Compatibility
60
*Above are industry standards. Actual values for Lucky Medicinal Cold-Forming Composite Material may exceed these specifications (see product parameters below).
How Is Cold Forming Foil Manufactured? [Process & Infographic]
Typical Process Flow of Cold Forming Foil
Lucky Medicinal Cold-Forming Composite Material adheres to strict ISO 15378/9001 and ANSI/ASTM standards throughout the process. In-depth testing at key steps ensures gas/water vapor transmission rates far lower than regulatory thresholds.
Material Selection: Only high-purity aluminum (≥99.9%) and medical-grade PVC/OPA are used for maximum biocompatibility.
Coextrusion & Lamination: Layers are heat-bonded under cleanroom conditions to prevent contamination and ensure uniform adhesion.
Forming Process: Cold stamping (CNC or progressive-die) shapes the blister, imparting robust formability without cracking—the hallmark of cold forming foil.
Product Spotlight: Lucky Medicinal Cold-Forming Composite Material
Lucky Medicinal Cold-Forming Composite Material from Lucky Group—a leading certified manufacturer—sets industry benchmarks for alu alu foil, offering superior integrity for pharmaceutical packaging.
Key Product Technical Data:
Parameter
Typical Value
Standard/Test Method
Total Thickness
135 - 150 µm
ISO 4593
Aluminum Thickness
≥ 50 µm
EN 546
WVTR (Water Vapor Transmission Rate)
< 0.002 g/m2/24h
ASTM F1249
OTR (Oxygen Transmission Rate)
< 0.01 cc/m2/24h
ASTM D3985
Burst Strength
> 100 N/15mm
ISO 2758
PVC Layer
60 µm (medical grade)
ISO 11607
Formability (depth)
≥ 10 mm
Internal
Color/Finish
Silver/matte & custom
—
Proven Industry Superiority:
WVTR/OTR values for Lucky Medicinal Cold-Forming outpace most global suppliers, maintaining >99.9% barrier for humidity and oxygen.
Burst and tensile strength exceeds CN/EN/ISO requirements for high-altitude and harsh transport scenarios.
Meets/exceeds GMP, FDA, EU ISO15378 compliance for pharmaceutical, hospital, and healthcare use.
Technical Specifications & Industry Comparison
Supplier
Barrier Property
Burst Strength (N/15mm)
Typical Application
Lucky Group (China)
WVTR < 0.002 g/m²/24h OTR < 0.01 cc/m²/24h
> 100
Pharma, Hospital, Self-service Kiosk
Amcor (Switzerland)
WVTR < 0.004 OTR < 0.017
> 90
Pharma, Clinical Blister
Uflex (India)
WVTR < 0.0045 OTR < 0.020
> 80
Generic Pharma
Constantia (Austria)
WVTR < 0.003 OTR < 0.015
> 88
Hospital/Medical Devices
Applications of Alu Alu Cold Forming Foil: From Pharma to Healthcare Kiosk Integration
Alu alu foil for pharmaceutical packaging: Blister packs for tablets, capsules, and sensitive biologics requiring sterility and extended shelf-life.
Self service kiosk in healthcare: Safe medication dispensation modules in patient self service kiosks, hospital self service machines, and hospital check in kiosks. Foil packages are automatically verified for seal integrity and tracked via RFID/barcodes for accurate, touch-free medicine delivery.
Chemical/pharmaceutical factory sampling: Single-dose diagnostic kit packaging, vaccine carriers, pilot production lots.
High-humidity or high-UV environments: Emergency medical reserve packs and portable field hospital modules.
Case Study: European Hospital Chain Kiosk Application Scenario: In 2023, an integrated smart dispensing system based on Lucky cold forming foil was deployed across 120 European hospitals. Implementation solved high humidity-induced drug degradation (down 94%) and reduced medication dispensing queue time by 29% due to quick package authenticity scans.
Customer feedback: “Auto-dispensing with alu alu cold forming foil ensures 100% pill integrity during transport and use.” (Pharmacy Director, Rouen, France)
Notable result: Maintenance costs for medication modules dropped by 32% due to robust foil packaging with anti-counterfeit printing and easy-form geometry.
Highest Barrier Class: Aluminum core thickness up to 50 μm ensures >99.9% barrier to water vapor, oxygen, and light, keeping medications stable even in harsh, tropical conditions.
Extra-High Formability: Multiaxial deep draw capacity supports difficult cavity designs and compact medicine blisters for hospital self service machine dispensing.
Best-in-Class Certifications: Certified for ISO 15378 (primary packaging for medicinal products), ISO 11607, and meets US FDA cGMP.
Longevity: Simulated package aging tests confirm drug protection > 5 years at 40°C, 75% RH.
Eco-friendly: Compliance with RoHS, BPA-free, and easy separation for recycled aluminum recovery.
FAQ: Expert Answers on Cold Forming Foil & Alu Alu Pharma Packaging
1. What is the composition of alu alu cold forming foil?
A: A typical alu alu cold forming foil consists of a 25μm OPA (Polyamide) layer, 45–60μm high-purity aluminum core, and 60μm medical-grade PVC, laminated for barrier, formability, and sealing.
2. What are the standard thicknesses and can they be customized?
A: Lucky’s standard cold forming foil is 135–150μm total, with options up to 160μm. Custom thickness/cavity depth available by request to suit specialty hospital or field-use requirements.
3. How does cold forming foil compare to tropical foil?
A: Cold forming foil (true alu alu) offers complete light/moisture/gas impermeability, while tropical foil is a secondary overwrap solution. Cold forming foil is preferred for active ingredients with high sensitivity.
4. What are the main global certifications?
A: All Lucky cold forming foil products are ISO 15378, ISO 11607, US FDA 21 CFR 177.1640, and RoHS certified; support for custom regulatory compliance available.
5. What testing is performed for quality control?
A: Tests include water vapor/oxygen transmission (WVTR, OTR), burst/tensile strength, delamination, seal strength (peel), bioburden, aging, and migration per EN/ISO/ASTM/FDA protocols.
6. What are recommended storage and installation standards?
A: Foil should be stored in cool, dry (
7. What is the shelf life and warranty of Lucky Medicinal Cold-Forming Composite Material?
A: Guaranteed 3+ years shelf life in original packaging; extended 5-year protection in validated pharma and hospital use. Full replacement or technical support in case of defect within warranty.
Customization, Lead Time, and Customer Support
Custom printing (logos, anti-counterfeit codes, barcodes, RFID integration) for hospital self service machine and pharmaceutical brand requirements.
Flexible cavity geometry, color/finish (silver, gold, matte, custom) to match equipment in patient self service kiosks.
Lead time:2–5 weeks standard (expedited: 7–10 days for urgent healthcare projects).
MOQ: 400kg (smaller lots for R&D/hospital pilots negotiable).
Warranty: 3+ years; lifecycle technical support; rapid QA inquiry response within 8 business hours.
As pharmaceutical technology advances, cold forming foil is cemented as an industry standard for safety, barrier, flexibility, and anti-counterfeit protection. Whether for traditional pharma or emerging digital hospital distribution systems, Lucky Medicinal Cold-Forming Composite Material provides confidently validated, high-performance solutions—supported by certifications, industry partnerships, and a robust commitment to product quality.
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Medicinal Cold-Forming Composite Material is a high-performance material specifically designed for the pharmaceutical industry. This innovative composite material is ideal for tablet production and capsule manufacturing, offering an advanced solution for the creation of medicinal products with precise dosage control and consistent quality.
