SCHOTT Pharmaceutical Packaging Increases Global Manufacturing Capabilities

These in-creases in production are meant to further expand SCHOTT's Pharmaceutical Packaging position as a leading supplier to strategic pharmaceutical packaging markets worldwide.

Confidence in South America

A new ampoules and vials production facility, inaugurated in Argentina in November 2010, complements facilities already operating in Brazil and Colombia. This move was the result of two prior acquisitions. In summer 2009, SCHOTT acquired parts of two Argentinean pharmaceutical packaging manufacturers, Medical Glass S.A. and DIESCA S.A., and incorporated their business activities into a new subsidiary, SCHOTT Envases Argentina S.A. The new, modern plant to the north of Buenos Aires efficiently consolidates production previously spread over two locations.

“The combination of the company's local market experience, access to customers, and technological know-how makes SCHOTT a strong partner for the Argentinean pharmaceutical industry,” said Jurgen Buhr, Director of SCHOTT Pharmaceutical Packaging in South America. “At the same time, this will open up opportunities for us in other South American markets as well,”

Joint Venture In Japan

Earlier this year, SCHOTT and Japanese company Naigai Glass Industry Co., Ltd. founded a joint venture for pharma-ceutical packaging activities in Japan. The new company, SCHOTT NAIGAI K.K., is based in Osaka, Japan, where Naigai has been operating a production site for many years. SCHOTT and Naigai have a long-standing buyer/supplier relationship dating back many years, with SCHOTT supply-ing pharmaceutical glass tubing to Naigai for primary phar-maceutical packaging products.

Under the terms of the joint venture, Naigai shifted its exist-ing vial manufacturing activities over to the new company and SCHOTT contributed its highly advanced Automatic In-spection System (AIS). In addition, SCHOTT Naigai will ex-pand its capacities by adding new production lines and leveraging SCHOTT technological know-how.

“As a result of this collaboration, customers will benefit from the high quality and technology standards, as well as supply safety along the entire supply chain,” says Dr. Juergen Sackhoff, Executive Vice President of SCHOTT Pharmaceutical Systems.

First in Russia

In May 2011, SCHOTT Pharmaceutical Packaging will be opening its latest manufacturing facility for premium quality ampoules and vials in Russia. The new plant that is located in Zavolzhe, near the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod.

The plant, built adjacent to another SCHOTT facility in Nizh-ny Novgorod, will produce several hundred million ampoules and glass vials made of SCHOTT Fiolax® glass tubing annually. SCHOTT is the first international manufacturer of glass primary pharmaceutical packaging to open a production facility in Russia.

“The new plant in Russia represents yet another important step in our global growth strategy in the area of Pharmaceutical Systems,” said Prof. Dr. Ing. Udo Ungeheuer, Chairman of the Board of Management of SCHOTT AG. “This will allow us to further extend our leading position in the area of high-quality pharmaceutical packaging in Russia and we will be able to satisfy local demand even better in the future.”