Type III Glass — Soda-Lime Glass

Type III glass, also known as soda-lime glass or sodium calcium silicate glass, is the most widely produced and used glass type globally. Approximately 90% of all glass production worldwide uses soda-lime formulation, making it the backbone of the glass packaging industry. The name "soda-lime" comes from its two main components: soda (sodium carbonate / Na2CO3) which acts as a flux to lower the melting point of silica, and lime (calcium oxide / CaO) which provides chemical stability to the glass.

In the pharmaceutical context, Type III glass is classified according to USP (United States Pharmacopeia) <660> and EP (European Pharmacopoeia) 3.2.1 standards based on the hydrolytic resistance test. Type III glass demonstrates adequate hydrolytic resistance for oral, topical, and non-parenteral product packaging. Although its chemical resistance is lower compared to Type I (borosilicate) and Type II (treated soda-lime), Type III glass is highly suitable for the majority of pharmaceutical products that do not require direct contact with injection solutions.

Pharmaglass, as a cGMP and ISO 15378 certified glass bottle factory in Indonesia, manufactures Type III glass in various packaging formats: syrup bottles (60ml to 500ml), dropper bottles for eye drops, essential oil bottles, beverage bottles, and cosmetic jars. Each product is manufactured with modern IS machine (Individual Section) technology and undergoes rigorous hydrolytic testing at our integrated QC laboratory to ensure compliance with international standards.

USP <660> standard "Containers - Glass" specifies that Type III glass must meet the criteria for surface hydrolytic resistance test, known as the "Powdered Glass Test". In this test, finely ground glass grains are boiled in distilled water for 30 minutes, then the volume of 0.02N HCl required to neutralize the released alkali is measured. Type III glass must yield no more than 8.5 mL HCl per gram of glass.

European Pharmacopoeia (EP) 3.2.1 classifies Type III glass as "Soda-lime glass" with similar requirements. In addition to the hydrolytic test, EP also requires arsenic and lead testing to ensure the safety of glass as direct contact (primary) packaging. Type III glass qualifies for non-parenteral pharmaceutical product packaging including tablets, capsules, powders, syrups, suspensions, emulsions, and topical products.

In Indonesia, the current Indonesian Pharmacopoeia adopts standards aligned with USP and EP for pharmaceutical packaging glass classification. BPOM (National Agency of Drug and Food Control) requires that primary drug packaging must use materials conforming to pharmacopoeia standards. Pharmaglass as a pharmaceutical glass bottle supplier provides Certificate of Analysis (CoA) and Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for every production batch, ensuring full regulatory compliance.

Pharmaglass is one of Indonesia's leading glass bottle manufacturers specializing in high-quality Type III glass packaging production. Our production facility is cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) and ISO 15378 certified for primary pharmaceutical packaging, ensuring that every glass bottle leaving our factory meets the highest quality standards. Our integrated QC laboratory performs hydrolytic, dimensional, and visual testing for every batch.

Our factory production capacity reaches millions of units per month with 2 active furnace lines, enabling us to fulfill large-scale orders with competitive lead times. We offer flexibility in size (15ml to 1000ml), color (clear, amber, cobalt blue), and finish (screw cap, crown cap, dropper, euro-dropper). Custom mold service is also available for customers wanting exclusive bottle designs.

Beyond product quality, Pharmaglass also offers comprehensive B2B services including technical material selection consultation, packaging design, product-packaging compatibility testing, and regulatory support for BPOM registration. Our specialized delivery fleet ensures glass bottles arrive at customer locations safely in perfect condition. Contact our sales team to get competitive pricing directly from the factory.