Natoli recently had the chance to sit down with Jon Carlisle, President and CEO of Carlisle Precision Machining (CPM) and discuss the encapsulation process and what CPM does for the encapsulation industry.
Natoli (N): Jon, thank you for taking the time to sit down with us. We know you are a busy guy, so let’s get right to it. At Natoli, we know tablet compression like the back of our hand, encapsulation is more of a mystery. Can you briefly describe what encapsulation is?
Jon Carlisle (JC): Thank you for talking with me. It’s always great to discuss encapsulation and what CPM does, so again, thank you.
Simply put, encapsulation is the technology used to encapsulate powders, granulation, pellets, beads, and even tablets into a hard two-piece gelatin capsule. Encapsulation was first made popular by Bosch in the late 1950’s and is often used for products that are not easily formed in a tablet press. It can also be used for measured and timed release of products once they reach the stomach.
N: Sounds like there are a number of areas that use or could use encapsulation. What industries typically use encapsulators?
JC: Much like the tableting industry, encapsulation is currently used in the Pharma, Nutra, Herbal, and Animal Health Industries.
N: Those are similar to the tableting industry, minus a couple of key areas. That said, why might a company choose encapsulation over a solid dose tablet?
JC: The biggest separating factor is the ability to put just about anything into a capsule, whereas tableting is limited to the capabilities of the ingredients of the tablet. Essentially if one wants twigs and berries and rocks to be encapsulated then it can happen, but it is cringe-worthy to consider tableting those items.
It’s important to note that encapsulation can be substantially slower than tableting. The Bosch GKF series encapsulators range from 7,800 Capsules per hour to 3,000 Capsules per minute.
N: Wow! You’re right, the pace can be quite a bit slower compared to the speeds of many tablet presses. And we definitely won’t be compressing rocks into tablets! Now, beyond encapsulation in general, what is it that Carlisle Precision Machining does specifically?
JC: Well first I like to point out that we are based in Nampa, Idaho and manufacture all of our products here in the USA. That’s really important for us, and for many of our customers.
As for what we do, Carlisle is a world-wide leader in after-market Bosch and Bosch-type encapsulation. From simple wear parts and tooling sets to complete machine rebuilds, technical support, and even ancillary equipment such as Capsule Polishers and Split Capsule Eliminators—Carlisle is an aftermarket source.
N: So, replacement parts, machine rebuilds, and technical support; that’s quite an undertaking, and something Natoli knows well in the tableting market! What makes CPM different from your competitors?
JC: I feel like I could go all day on this one, but briefly, Carlisle is typically more cost-effective and quicker at deliveries than our competition. We also have a home-town feel. Your pain is our pain, your win is our win. We like to view ourselves as part of the customer’s team. And we like to be part of the customer’s “tool set” for success. If we can’t meet your need, we are happy for you to get your needs met at one of our competitors. We want YOU to win!
N: That seems like a pretty reasonable company mantra, and it has obviously been working for CPM. We feel the same way about our customers here at Natoli! Before you go, are there any other notes or comparisons you’d like to make?
JC: We are a relatively young company. However, our founding is based on 35+ years of industry involvement, experience, and development. Our mentor is Nick Bigney, the founder of DMW Products out of Orem, Utah. If you aren’t familiar with them, DMW Products was purchased by Bosch Encapsulation in 1999. Bosch saw the value of what Nick was able to provide the encapsulation industry. This gives an idea of our caliber.
N: Jon, thank you again for taking the time to join us and explaining a little about encapsulation and CPM.
JC: It was my pleasure and thank you for talking with me.
Carlisle Precision Machining is a division of Natoli Engineering.
