Constantia Flexibles, one of the world's leading manufacturers of flexible packaging solutions for consumer and pharmaceutical products, will showcase its latest pharmaceutical and healthcare packaging innovations at PACK EXPO International 2026, taking place October 18-21 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Visitors can meet the company's experts at West Hall, Booth W-25050, Healthcare Packaging Pavilion, to learn how Constantia Flexibles applies system-thinking to packaging innovation. Rather than evaluating packaging through a single lens, the company considers the entire packaging ecosystem, balancing product protection, patient safety, manufacturing performance, circularity and supply chain resilience across the packaging lifecycle.
"Pharmaceutical packaging manufacturers are under pressure to address multiple priorities at once, including operational efficiency, regulatory requirements and supply chain continuity," said Chris Gullard, Regional Sales Manager North America at Constantia Flexibles. "We help customers navigate these evolving requirements and identify packaging solutions that support their product and business goals. PACK EXPO provides an opportunity to discuss these challenges and demonstrate how our portfolio helps address them."
REGULA CIRC: A New Approach to High-Barrier Blister Packaging
A key focus of the company's presence at this year's event will be REGULA CIRC, a PVC-free cold-forming blister structure for pharmaceutical applications that require high-barrier protection. Developed through collaboration across product development, procurement, operations and sustainability teams, REGULA CIRC was designed to balance product protection, manufacturing efficiency, circular compatibility, environmental considerations and regulatory readiness.
Compared with conventional PVC-containing Alu-Alu blister packaging, REGULA CIRC reduces polymer content while maintaining the barrier performance required for sensitive pharmaceutical products. The solution also supports operational efficiencies through improved machinability, higher production yields, reduced shrink-back during converting and packaging processes, and lower sealing temperatures that can contribute to energy savings during production.
By replacing chlorinated polymers with a simplified material structure, REGULA CIRC supports material recovery and helps transform packaging waste into a more valuable secondary resource. Internal assessments indicate that when produced using aluminum from the company's Low Carbon Aluminum offering, which is manufactured using renewable electricity, REGULA CIRC has the potential to achieve up to approximately 50% lower cradle-to-grave carbon footprint compared with conventional PVC-containing Alu-Alu blister solutions, depending on product specifications, manufacturing conditions and end-of-life assumptions.
In an independent industrial waste-sorting trial, REGULA CIRC achieved an 88% sorting efficiency, supporting material recovery where appropriate collection and recycling infrastructure is available. The innovation has also been recognised by the Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP) as a good practice example.
PERPETUA Family: Mono-Material Solutions for Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Applications
Alongside REGULA CIRC, Constantia Flexibles will highlight its broader portfolio of pharmaceutical packaging solutions, including PERPETUA and PERPETUA ALTA, which apply the same system-thinking approach to balance recyclability, product protection and commercial performance.
Both are based on mono-material polypropylene (PP) structures designed to meet the demanding barrier requirements of pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare applications. PERPETUA has received third-party recyclability certification from the cyclos-HTP Institute and RecyClass Technology Approval. PERPETUA ALTA extends the platform to applications requiring enhanced chemical resistance and higher barrier performance. PERPETUA ALTA received the RecyClass Letter of Compatibility (Design for Recycling).
The company will also showcase a recent commercial milestone for PERPETUA: the launch of designed-for-recycling mono-material stick packs for a leading consumer healthcare brand in Germany. The project brought together parties to successfully scale the solution for commercial production, demonstrating how collaboration across the value chain can accelerate the adoption of new packaging technologies.
Child-Resistant Solutions for Safety and Accessibility
Beyond its blister and stick pack solutions, Constantia Flexibles will showcase its comprehensive portfolio of child-resistant packaging features, developed to help pharmaceutical companies meet safety requirements while maintaining accessibility for intended users.
The portfolio includes solutions such as APERTA, DUO, FLECTA, FORTE, LUX and TRIA, each offering a distinct opening mechanism tailored to different product formats and patient needs. These technologies can be implemented across the company's pharmaceutical packaging range, enabling customers to select a child-resistant solution that aligns with their product, market and regulatory requirements.
Constantia Flexibles' packaging specialists work closely with customers to develop customised solutions that balance product protection, usability and compliance.
Supply Chain Resilience Under Section 232
Visitors to the booth will also have an opportunity to learn about Constantia Flexibles' innovative mono-polymer packaging solutions, including PERPETUA. Free of aluminum, these solutions are not subject to Section 232 aluminum tariffs and provide pharmaceutical customers with an alternative sourcing option in a changing trade environment.
Combined with domestic production capabilities, they support supply chain resilience, cost control and continuity of supply.