Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Market To Reach $51.56 Billion By 2033

Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Market Growth & Trends

The global pharmaceutical glass packaging market size is estimated to reach USD 51.56 billion by 2033, expanding at a CAGR of 10.5% from 2026 to 2033, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The factors expected to drive the growth are the high recyclability of the glass, chemical inertness, increasing developments in the pharmaceutical industry, and the growing demand for vials for COVID vaccines.

The pharmaceutical industry is witnessing a significant transition and over the past few years, the focus on the development of pharmaceutical drugs has grown significantly. The growing research environment in emerging economies such as India, China, and Brazil has led to a gradual migration of economic and research activities from developed markets to these emerging markets. Since 2006, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization has provided advisory services and technical cooperation to develop local pharmaceutical production in developing countries. This promises to boost the pharmaceutical sector in these countries thereby driving the pharmaceutical plastic packaging industry.

However, the pharmaceutical glass packaging industry is expected to witness some challenges in the forthcoming years since glass is an expensive raw material. Plastic bottles are being used for pharma packaging which is made of lightweight, clear, and durable plastic belonging to the polyester family. Furthermore, developments are being carried out to develop material that overcomes the shortcomings of glass and plastic which can negatively impact the pharmaceutical glass packaging industry. For instance, in May 2022, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) agreed to develop Oxycapt, a multilayer material integrating features of plastic and glass for prefilled syringes.

Pharmaceutical-grade silicone-based fluids are being extensively applied on the inner surface of glass vials and ampoules to allow the draining of vaccines from the glass packaging products and maintain the efficacy and safety of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). In January 2022, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. entered into a technology and supply agreement with Corning Incorporated to expand Valor Glass technology for developing advanced injectable drug packaging and delivery systems.

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Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Market Report Highlights

• The generic drug type led the market and accounted for more than 74.6% share of the global revenue in 2025. The main factor contributing to their market growth is pricing and often the shortage of an established pharmaceutical product in the market. Most generic medicines tend to cost less than their brand-name counterparts and provide effective results similar to their brand-name counterparts

• Atmospheric emissions are caused by the melting of raw materials and combustion of natural gas in glass production. The negative environmental impact is expected to drive pharmaceutical glass manufacturers to develop sustainable glass production processes.    

• In June 2023, Müller + Müller, the manufacturer of primary packaging materials made of tubular glass for the pharmaceutical industry, invested 15 million EUR at its vial manufacturing site in Holzminden. The investment includes up to 14 new production lines as well as a corresponding clean room.

• Glass delamination has been a major concern for pharmaceutical companies. It includes the appearance of glass lamellae or visible flakes which can lead to an increased number of recalls and health risks. The development of glass vials by reducing the alkali content reduces the chances of delamination and breakage. Furthermore, pharmaceutical glass packaging is manufactured by molded processes offering greater design flexibility and high mechanical resistance which reduces the breakage risk

• Key players in the market include Gerresheimer AG, Corning Incorporated, Nipro Corporation, Schott AG, SGD Pharma, among others. In terms of revenue, the top ten manufacturers in the market hold majority of the market while the other manufacturers account for the rest.

• In June 2023, Corning and SGD Pharma in a joint venture are expected to open a new glass tubing facility and expand access to Corning Velocity Vial technology in Telangana, India. Manufacturing of Velocity Vials at SGD Pharma’s facility in Vemula, India, is expected to begin in 2024. Pharmaceutical tubing production is expected to begin in 2025.

Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global pharmaceutical glass packagingmarket based on material, product, drug, material, and region:

Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Material Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2021 - 2033)

• Type I

• Type II

• Type III

Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Product Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2021 - 2033)

• Vials

  • Small vials

  • Large vials

• Bottles

  • Small bottles

  • Large bottles

• Cartridges & Syringes

• Ampoules

Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Drug Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2021 - 2033)

• Generic

• Branded

• Biologic

Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Regional Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2021 - 2033)

• North America

  • U.S.

  • Canada

  • Mexico

• Europe

  • Germany

  • France

  • UK

  • Italy

  • Spain

• Asia Pacific

  • China

  • India

  • Japan

  • Australia

  • South Korea

• Latin America

  • Brazil

• Middle East & Africa

  • Saudi Arabia

List of Key Players in Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Market

• Corning Incorporated

• Nipro Corporation

• SGD S.A.

• Stoelzle Oberglas GmbH

• Bormioli Pharma S.p.A.

• West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

• Schott AG

• Gerresheimer AG

• Shandong Medicinal Glass Co., Ltd.

• Beatson Clark

• Ardagh Group S.A

• Arab Pharmaceutical Glass Co.

• Piramal Enterprises Ltd.

• ?i?ecam Group

• Owens-Illinois, Inc.

• DWK Life sciences