1. Ampules, bottles, jars, vials are primary containers for reagents in both liquid and dry powder forms. With the increasing market for automated laboratory systems, the need for ready-to-use liquid reagents is also growing.
2. Clamshells, blisters are often the preferred packaging systems for diagnostic kits, enabling manufacturers to package sterile components together in an easy-to-open container.
3. Closures, lidding, caps, stoppers are available in a wide range of materials and configurations, often color coded for ease of recognition. Lidding includes materials, such as spunbonded polyolefin, which are adhesively sealed to molded trays for IVD kits.
4. Desiccants, sterilants are used to protect biochemicals and reagents that can be affected by moisture, and to prevent the growth of bacteria in otherwise sterile packaging.
5. Display packaging, cartons, boxes, cases are the essential containers for such over-the-counter products as home-use glucose monitors and pregnancy tests. Such packaging is designed not only to protect products and meet regulatory requirements, but also to be attractive to the consumer market.
6. Films, foils are essential materials for manufacturers that perform their own packaging. Suppliers offer materials in standard or custom sizes and thicknesses, sometimes imprinted according to the manufacturer's specifications.
7. Labels are supplied by 32 companies listed in this year's buyers guide. Offerings range from simple adhesive-backed label stock and preprinted tags to laser-readable bar code labels using chemically resistant substrates and inks.
8. Pouches, bags are generally an inexpensive method of packaging kit components and consumables used by automated laboratory systems. Supplied as raw stock or in imprinted form, these packages come in a wide variety of materials and configurations.
9. Rollstock, including laminated materials used for packaging, is supplied by 18 companies listed in this year's buyers guide.
10. Shipping containers, insulated shippers help to protect fragile instruments and preserve the stability of biochemicals and reagents.
11. Trays are commonly custom molded to meet the needs of IVD kit manufacturers. Like clamshells and blister packs, they enable manufacturers to provide protective and orderly packaging for kit components.
12. Contract manufacturers specializing in IVD packaging can often provide package design and validation services, as well as performing the actual packaging and labeling of finished products.
13. Stock items suppliers are a relative rarity when it comes to IVD packaging, mostly because so much of IVD packaging and labeling is custom designed to meet the needs of individual products. This year's guide lists only the companies that name stock items as a field of specialization.
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