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): August 24, 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))
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Item 8.01 Other events.
          On August 24, 2004 West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (the "Company")
          issued a press release announcing that its Board of Directors declared
          a quarterly cash dividend and approved a 2-for-1 stock split of its
          common stock.

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

     (c)  Exhibits

          Exhibit # Description

          99.1  West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Press Release, dated
          August 24, 2004.


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                                       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:  August 24, 2004           -------------------------------------------
                                  William J. Federici
                                  Vice President and Chief Financial Officer





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                              Exhibit Index



99.1   West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Press Release, dated August 24, 2004.

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