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Spotlight on the Pharmaceutical/Nutraceutical Packaging Machinery Sector Certified equipment training is becoming less of a value added component and more of an essential part of the sale for today’s pharmaceutical/nutraceutical packagers. In PMMI’s recently released Pharmaceutical/Nutraceutical Packaging Machinery Industry Segment Market Research Study, 71 end users, consultants, contract packagers/manufactures and industry experts were interviewed about changes in their industry and the effects those changes will have on packaging machinery manufacturers in the future. Not surprisingly, certified training was a priority issue. Certified equipment training is “very important” to 61 percent of the respondents in this survey. This importance stems from two interrelated concerns: adhering to regulations and the changes brought about by technological advancements. Three of the companies surveyed specifically stated that all equipment requires formal training to comply with CGM and ISO certification for standard operating procedures. The importance is becoming more and more critical with increasingly sophisticated machines, which are computer and electronically based. The complexity of the machine mandates the level of operator competency required on the equipment which mandates the scope of the certified training. Ensuring traceability (complete information about every step in the process chain) for any issues regarding the equipment also necessitates comprehensive training. As the production capability of packaging equipment is increased, so should the operator’s level of training—a broken link in this part of the chain can not only result in downtime, but can also represent a failure to comply with CGM and ISO certification. Who is responsible for this training? According the study, 72 percent of the participants stated that they believe the manufacturer is the most reliable source to conduct the training. However, 15 percent of the companies are looking for a cooperative training program where a certified trainer from the manufacturer trains an in-house master trainer, who then in turn trains the machine operators. The master trainer could range from an internal corporate training team, to the plant manager. One company stated, “It runs the gamut but the responsibility comes from the OEM initially.” It is critical that machine operators are able to keep pace with the rapidly-advancing pharmaceutical/nutraceutical packaging industry. For the time being, the onus is on the equipment manufacturer to ensure the advancement of the operators. However, they are not alone. The availability of professional training certification through PMMI’s Certified Trainer Program will support and foster OEM training initiatives. |
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