Film-Coated Tablet Manufacturing
We formulate and manufacture film-coated tablets for supplement brands, pharmacy chains and distributors across 40+ countries, on dedicated lines inside our own EU GMP-certified facility.
What does a film coating change about a tablet?
Film-coated tablets | |
What it is | A standard or multilayer tablet with a thin film coating applied over the compressed core |
Best for | Masking taste or odour, improving swallowability, controlling release timing |
Why brands choose it | A more polished, pharmaceutical-grade finish without changing the core formula |
What a coating actually does, beyond appearance
A film coating isn’t just cosmetic. It can mask the taste or smell of an active that would otherwise make a tablet unpleasant to take, protect moisture-sensitive ingredients from the air during shelf life and in some formulations control how quickly the tablet breaks down once swallowed. For a mineral or fish-oil-adjacent formula with a strong taste of its own, this is often the difference between a tablet people take once and one they keep taking.
A coating also does practical work during production – it smooths the tablet surface for easier swallowing, improves handling on the line and reduces dusting and sticking during compression and packaging.
It also evens out appearance from batch to batch. Natural ingredients can vary slightly in colour, and a coating masks that variation so every batch looks consistent. Coating colour can even be matched to your brand, product line or dose strength – useful when you want to visually distinguish products or strengths within the same range.
The trade-off is that a coating that isn’t actually needed just adds a processing step and a cost. Most formulas land clearly on one side or the other – your R&D contact will confirm during the brief whether coating is the right call for yours.
Bring your own formula, or start from ours
Have a formula already?
Contract manufacturing runs your specification on our equipment, through our QC, out the door under your label.
[See contract manufacturing →]
Want to move faster?
Our private label library includes tested, ready-to-sell coated tablet formulas – most can be adjusted on dose, flavour or coating type.
Building something new?
Our in-house R&D team develops custom coated formulas from brief through pilot batch, including coating selection and formulation testing specific to this format.
Tell us what you're building. We'll get back to you quickly.
Share your format, indicative volume and target markets and we will come back to you within a few business days to confirm receipt and let you know what we need to prepare a full response. Pricing, capability details and a fit assessment follow as soon as we have reviewed your brief.
What brands ask us about coated tablet manufacturing?
What is the difference between a film-coated and a standard tablet?
A standard tablet is a compressed core with nothing applied to it. A film-coated tablet has a thin coating applied over that same core – it doesn’t change the formula, but it can mask taste or odour, improve swallowability and give the tablet a more polished, pharmaceutical-grade finish.
Do you produce effervescent tablets?
No – effervescent isn’t a format we manufacture. If you’re looking for a drinkable or fizzing product experience, our R&D team can help you explore alternatives such as a powder stick pack or a liquid shot.
What is the minimum order quantity for coated tablets?
MOQ varies by format and formula complexity and is confirmed during the quote, typically from around 300,000 units. Pilot batches are available for new formulations – your project manager can confirm the details for your specific case.
How long does a coated tablet production run take?
Approximately 10–12 weeks from purchase order for an existing formulation. Custom formulation adds development time – confirmed per project.
What testing applies to coated tablet formulas?
The same full testing stack as our other formats: heavy metals, microbial count, potency, identity and allergens. Not every test applies to every product; what’s required is agreed with you upfront and confirmed in the specification.