How to make the right choice when buying solvents for the pharmaceutical industry

Buyers in the pharmaceutical industry are often faced with the question of who is the right supplier for their solvents. Reliability and tailor-made formulations as well as punctual deliveries are important requirements. There are also special requirements for hydrocarbon products such as n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane or iso-octane, especially in the production of active ingredients for drugs. The following article outlines how you can ensure the consistently high purity quality required and also which services you should expect from a supplier.

The most important condition is extremely high purity of products

Solvents for the pharmaceutical industry are essential. They are required in research and development laboratories for classical analyses, but they are mainly used in the production process for the preparation, crystallisation, extraction and washing of purified active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). High-performance solvents should have a purity of up to 99.75 % in order to enable efficient and targeted control of subsequent synthesis steps.

Click here for a complete overview of the physical properties of important solvents for the pharmaceutical industry!

These criteria are important when buying solvents for the pharmaceutical industry

Outstanding product characteristics are an important reason to buy – but a trustworthy supplier should also meet other criteria and performances. These include a quality promise and comprehensive services.

Quality assurance

Consistent quality is a guarantee for stable and smooth production with best product results. Pay attention to consistently high standards and inform yourself about quality assurance ...

• in the laboratory: In addition to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, quality and environmental aspects, a special laboratory accreditation according to ISO/IEC 17025 is of great advantage for the chemical industry. Qualified employees and extensive equipment, in terms of measuring and analysis possibilities, ensure high purity, consistent quality and offer customised formulations. When purchasing solvents for the pharmaceutical industry, ask specifically about methods such as the dual control principle, where all results are always additionally checked by another employee. The possibility of customer audits also speaks for customer orientation, process transparency and a strong focus on optimisation and improvement.
  
  Also interesting: How labs test the quality of paraffinic hydrocarbons
  
  
• in production: the highest quality standards can be ensured by multiple quality checks both during (IPC: in-process control) and after production, as well as before delivery to the customer. This is also very important to avoid contamination in solvents! Forward-looking suppliers invest in modern equipment and technologies to respond quickly to changing requirements in terms of product types or capacity.
  
  
• for certificates: Production sites should be certified to ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 50001 (energy). In this way quality and environmental aspects are taken into account. "Made in Europe" or "Made in Germany" offer a special quality feature, as they comply with the strict legal requirements in the EU or Germany.

Services

Many years of expertise, flexibility and a pronounced customer focus demonstate a solvent manufacturer’s experience in customised services. This is particularly important for the pharmaceutical industry, which has extremely high requirements due to its products. Customer needs should therefore be given top priority. This can be expected from reliable suppliers in a whole range of services that can be jointly coordinated as required, such as

• individual formulations and application-oriented solutions,
• special measuring and analysis methods,
• coordinated transport options and individual packaging options and sizes
• customised advice and technical support on site
• assistance with regulatory issues

These blog articles could also be of interest to you:

Critical solvent properties for the pharmaceutical industry

Pharmaceutical industry: How to avoid contamination in solvents

Conclusion

When choosing a suitable supplier of high-purity solvents such as n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane or iso-octane for the pharmaceutical industry, the following 5 criteria are important for a trustful cooperation:

1. Excellent product properties with high purity of up to 99.75 %
2. High quality promise through production and laboratory competence and certification
3. Strong customer focus with bespoke solutions
4. Extensive expertise and services
5. Many years of experience in logistics

Take advantage of customised consulting services and gather information on important topics such as quality, specifications, reliability or delivery options.