UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, DC 20549


                                   FORM 8-K


                                CURRENT REPORT
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


      Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): October 19, 2004


                     West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


                               Pennsylvania
              (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)



                  1-8036                                23-1210010
      (Commission File Number)              (IRS Employer Identification No.)



       101 Gordon Drive, PO Box 645,
                 Lionville, PA                       19341-0645
  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)            (Zip Code)



                                     610-594-2900
                (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)


                                      N/A
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

   |_| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
      (17 CFR 230.425)

   |_| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
      (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

   |_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
       Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

   |_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
       Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
________________________________________________________________________________



Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition

          On October 19, 2004 West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (the "Company")
          issued a press release announcing the Company's financial results for the
          three and nine-month period ended September 30, 2004.  A copy of the
          press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein
          by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

     (c)  Exhibits

          Exhibit # Description

          99.1  West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Press Release, dated
          October 19, 2004.


________________________________________________________________________________


                                       SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to  be signed on its behalf by the 
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.



                                  WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES, INC.
                                  -------------------------------------------


                                  /s/ William J. Federici 
 Date:  October 19, 2004          -------------------------------------------
                                  William J. Federici
                                  Vice President and Chief Financial Officer





________________________________________________________________________________








                              Exhibit Index



99.1   West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Press Release, dated October 19, 2004.

________________________________________________________________________________