FPA’s Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC) Executive Council held its annual meeting in New York on June 15, 2017, and representatives from six member companies participated in the meeting. SPMC celebrated its 23rd anniversary this year, and a timeline of its activities over these years is posted on the SPMC website, www.sterilizationpackaging.org. The website, which is a resource for medical device manufacturers, offers technical guidance on issues related to sterilization packaging of medical devices.

Respective committee chairs provided a progress update for activities of the Technical and Marketing Committees. The SPMC website is being redesigned to include full screen graphics; a stronger focus, and more detail on member companies; and an overhaul of the FAQ interface; as well as to be more interactive and optimized for viewing on tablets and phones. Election results for the Executive Council Chair (Brad Walker, Printpack), Marketing Committee Chair (Kathleen Daly Mascolo, Beacon Converters, Inc.) and Technical Committee Chair (Scott Coons, Bemis Healthcare Packaging) were approved and the individuals were confirmed into their respective positions. The meeting also included a presentation on the status of the International Trade Commission and Department of Commerce Section 232 investigation of imports of aluminum foil. FPA opposes both actions.

About the Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC)

Formed in 1994 as a council of the Flexible Packaging Association, the Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC) specializes in packaging for the medical device industry and is comprised of members of the Flexible Packaging Association. SPMC focuses on the unique requirements for sterilization packaging, and is actively engaged in the development of test methods and guidance documents for medical packaging that can be adopted by FPA and subsequently by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). For more information about SPMC, please visit www.sterilizationpackaging.org.