A capsule looks like a simple product, but the brief a capsule plant needs is not the same as a tablet brief. The shell, the fill, the humidity in the filling room and the pack all change what you get and what you pay. Settle these points before you ask for rates and the quotes you receive will be much easier to compare.
The capsule manufacturers listed above take third party orders under your own brand. Below is what to decide first, and what to ask them before you place an order.
Shell choice: gelatin or HPMC
Hard gelatin shells are the standard for most allopathic capsules and the cheaper option. HPMC shells, often called veg capsules, cost more. They suit brands that want a vegetarian mark on the pack, and many nutraceutical and Ayurvedic ranges use them. HPMC also tends to behave better with fills that pick up moisture easily.
You also need to fix the shell size, the colour of cap and body, and whether you want your brand printed on the shell. Printed shells and custom colours need a bigger order with the shell supplier, so the plant may ask for a higher quantity or more lead time. For a first batch with a tight date, plain shells in a standard colour are the safer choice.
Powder fill, pellet fill and softgels
Powder-filled capsules are the simplest to make. Many gastro and some antibiotic products use pellets instead, such as enteric coated omeprazole or esomeprazole pellets, or sustained release pellets for once-daily products. Plants often buy these pellets ready-made from specialised pellet makers and only fill them. Ask who makes the pellets and whether the pellet maker's COA is kept on record for your batch.
Softgels are a different product altogether. They need a dedicated line with gelatin melting, encapsulation and drying rooms, and most general capsule plants do not have one. If your range includes softgels such as vitamin E or omega-3 products (many of which are sold under FSSAI rules rather than as drugs), you may need a separate manufacturer for them. Ask plainly. Do not assume a capsule plant can do both.
Humidity, MOQ and packing
Gelatin shells go brittle when the air is too dry and soft or sticky when it is too damp. A well-run capsule section keeps the filling and packing area at controlled temperature and humidity and records it through the day. On a plant visit, look for the humidity display in the filling room and ask to see the log.
- MOQ: usually set per batch of the filling machine, so ask for it product by product
- Pack: Alu-Alu protects best from moisture, blister is cheaper, and some products go in bottles with a desiccant
- Lead time: shells, pellets and printed foil each have their own lead time, and the slowest one decides your dispatch date
- COA per batch, covering weight variation, disintegration or dissolution, and assay
When the rates come in, check what is actually included. Some capsule manufacturers quote only the fill material and the filling charge, then add shells, pellets and packing material separately. Others give one all-in rate per strip. Put every quote in the same format before you decide.
One more point that brand owners skip: where your stock will sit after dispatch. Capsules that leave the plant in good condition can still soften in a hot, damp godown during the monsoon. Tell your distributor how the stock should be stored, and keep a couple of strips from each batch yourself so you can compare if a complaint comes in.
Send your capsule requirement
Use the requirement form on this page. Write each product with its composition and strength, the shell type and size if you know it, powder or pellet fill, pack style and strip size, quantity per batch, and the date you want the first dispatch. List softgels on a separate line so the right plants pick them up. Posting is free, your number is not shown on the site, and the requirement reaches only capsule manufacturers that make this kind of product. They call you back with rates and timelines.
Related pages: PCD Pharma Franchise Company For Ointments and Syrup Manufacturers. Molecules most listed here: Folic Acid, Methylcobalamin, Zinc.
