Schott Pharmaceutical Packaging Adds More Facilities around the World

At Interphex this past week in New York City, Schott Pharmaceutical Packaging detailed its expanded worldwide production capacities in Argentina, Japan, and Russia.

A new production facility for ampules and vials in Argentina augments existing facilities 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 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.”

Earlier this year, Schott and Japanese company Naigai Glass Industry Co. Ltd. founded a joint venture for pharmaceutical 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. The two companies have had a long-standing buyer/supplier relationship in which Schott supplied pharmaceutical glass tubing to Naigai for primary pharmaceutical packaging products. Naigai has shifted its existing vial manufacturing activities over to the new company, which will make use of Schott's automatic inspection system (AIS).

“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.

In May 2011, Schott Pharmaceutical Packaging will open its latest manufacturing facility for premium quality ampoules and vials in Zavolzhe, near the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod. Adjacent to another Schott facility in Nizh-ny Novgorod, it 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.”