H&T Presspart and Aluminium Duffel BV have been partners for a long time. The lightweight, highly formable aluminium that Aluminium Duffel BV supplies, is used in the production of H&T Presspart’s metered-dose inhaler canisters. Pharmaceutical companies worldwide use these canisters for the production of inhalers for asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients.

Metered-dose inhaler (MDI) canister range

As a respiratory drug delivery device and component manufacturer, the quality and reliability of H&T Presspart’s components and delivery systems are critically important as patients’ quality of life can depend on the tiniest of details. “Quality is absolutely paramount to us. The aluminium that supplies is always of a high quality. Also, we can always count on an on-time delivery,” Chad Mayoh, Global Marketing Manager of H&T Presspart says.

Strengthened partnership in 2020

The covid-19 crisis has further strengthened the partnership. “In 2020, Aluminium Duffel BV has been a key supplier for us. As covid-19 is a respiratory disease, many US hospitals started using albuterol inhalers to treat milder covid-19 patients. The global demand for canisters, which spiked this year, was also driven by improved patient adherence to their medication. Thanks to the guaranteed supply from Aluminium Duffel, we were able to increase our production and meet this global increased demand,” according to H&T Presspart.

Production at Aluminium Duffel BV has never stopped during the covid-19 crisis. As the aluminium is also used for the production of medical equipment, the plant was considered “an essential business” and could continue production, even during the first lockdown of March-May 2020. “As early as the end of February 2020, we imposed strict security measures in our production plant. Our first goal was to protect our employees. But these strict measures also allowed us to continue our production safely and to meet the demand from our clients in the medical sector,” Alain Dufour, Sales Director Industrial of Aluminium Duffel BV says.

Sustainable supply chain

H&T Presspart recycles all scrap aluminium from its manufacturing process and continues to work with to increase the percentage of recycled material that is used to make the aluminium raw material.

As both partners are strongly committed to sustainability, they continue to look for other solutions to lower their ecological footprint. H&T Presspart has focused on lean manufacturing and invested in sustainable manufacture solutions to reduce their carbon footprint but also on recycling unavoidable waste, the continued reduction of the number of raw materials and ways to cut energy consumption. Aluminium Duffel BV is contributing by receiving closed loop recycled material from the H&T Presspart metal management agent, and by delivering finished products in maximised load efficient volumes.