Erdmann Solutions reports to Circulab on progress with JnJ circular economy initiative

Neuhausen, Switzerland: – Award-winning design and engineering agency Erdmann Solutions has presented highlights of its pioneering work with Johnson & Johnson (JnJ) subsidiary Janssen to develop circular economy (CE) concepts.

Erdmann presented Its interim results on the ‘in progress’ Janssen CarePath Safe Returns® project to the international CE community dedicated to advancing sustainability through circular economy insights and technologies.

Ground-breaking

Together with JnJ, Erdmann has developed an entire cycle of application, collection, disassembly and production for its injection pens.  . This includes measures such as a multinational postal service collaboration for collection and delivery to the ground-breaking Circulab Halle 7 recycling plant featuring robotic sorting and image detection of pen types for automated disassembly, and a subsequent logistics chain for delivery of remanufactured pens.

Erdmann’s design approach for circular economy projects emphasizes simplified and standardized material flows, use of green and recyclable monomaterials, ease of disassembly, design for re-use, and maximum collaboration and knowledge-sharing with other industries and academia.

Identifying motivations

Its Human Centred Design (HCD) ethos helped to identify the main motivations and drivers for accelerated uptake of the program, from patient desire for safe and easy collection of devices through to manufacturer acceptance of responsibility for the total life cycle of products.

JnJ has benefitted in unexpected ways from the project, such as receiving a complete end-to-end supply chain overview and better data on actual use of its products.

Challenges

In this highly regulated market, the project has also encountered unexpected problems, such as EU ADR dangerous goods transportation rules. There is still a lot to learn and optimize on the way to the closed loop, but the team is looking forward to these tasks.

Five-year journey

Johnson & Johnson has closely collaborated with Erdmann Solution to develop circular economy doctrine over the past five years during which it has invested a large amount of training, collaborative projects and establishing a center of excellence.

Circulab is based on various pharmaceutical and recycling partners as well as universities. Collaboration is the key in a successful circular economy project. Therefore, Erdmann and its Core Group partners are open for contributions and would like to involve new partners in the journey.

‌About Erdmann Solutions

Erdmann Solutions AG (Erdmann) offers award-winning human-centered Design and Engineering services that are particularly applicable to Life Sciences and Med Tech applications, including devices, control systems,  production systems and packaging solutions.

The Erdmann Solutions approach are built around Innovation, Human Centered Design underpinned by usability engineering and testing and Branding Expertise, bringing tightly knit and dynamic design teams to focus on innovation and real customer needs, with particular expertise in high-risk in technologies in medical and pharmaceutical procedures.

Erdmann Solutions was founded in Brugg operating in Neuhausen in 1978 by industrial designer Raimund Erdmann, who still leads the company. Since then, it has won more than 50 outstanding awards for its work with companies worldwide.

Further information at: https://erdmann.ch/

Resources

Click on J&J Safe Returns Initiative for further information.
Click on Erdmann Design explores circular economy concepts as trend in medical innovation for further information.