CPhI China 2017: Gerresheimer boosts its presence in Asia and unveils new packaging solutions

- First-ever metal-free syringe
- Injection vials from the expert
- Glass and plastic primary packaging

The Asian market is a key priority for Gerresheimer. With a total of seven production sites in China and India, the company boasts an excellent basis for manufacturing pharmaceutical packaging from glass and plastic. Products such as inhalers, injection pens, and its new metal-free glass syringe are just as much part of its range as glass vials, ampoules, and cartridges or a wide selection of plastic medicine containers. 

An Asian debut at CPhI China for the metal-free syringe

Traces of tungsten or other metals can occasionally remain in the drilled hole when the cone of a syringe is molded, which can cause a problem when they are used. There is therefore a need for pre-fillable syringe systems that ideally exclude the risk of metal contaminants, particularly for drugs based on bioengineered active substances. Gerresheimer has responded to this call by developing an innovative, patent-pending man-ufacturing technology and getting its 1 ml long Luerlock Gx RTF syringe ready for series production. 

Technical expertise pooled in Asia

Gerresheimer opened a new development center for its medical systems made from plastic in the Chinese city of Dongguan in October 2014. Its Technical Competence Center (TCC) in China is set up to independently handle and manage large-scale projects locally. Its includes the following main departments: project management, injection-molding technology, measurement technology, tool optimization, and tool purchasing. The local project management team looks after customer projects itself, meaning no language barrier or time difference for the clients. The TCC’s injection-molding team has its own sampling line complete with associated injection-molding machinery as well as its own measurement laboratory to validate its tools on site. This laboratory produces measurement reports for parts, optimizes key process parameters in order to achieve the best possible process outputs (DOE), and generates process capability indicators (Cpk analyses). The Chinese TCC is home to a highly qualified team of plastics and production engineers, project managers, quality planners, and process engineers.

The expert in injection vials

Gerresheimer’s Shuangfeng site manufactures vials, ampoules, cartridges, and other specialty products made from clear and amber glass types I, II, and III for its customers, pharma companies in Asia, the U.S., and Europe. Its trade fair booth will focus on injection vials, also known simply as vials. The ones manufactured at Gerresheimer Shuangfeng can hold between 1 and 50 ml.  

Glass and plastic primary packaging for medicines

Gerresheimer has been strengthening its presence in Asia this year, opening a new production facility in the Indian city of Kosamba to make vials and ampoules for local and international customers. Gerresheimer thus now boasts three sites in India. The Neutral Glass plant in Kosamba manufactures pharmaceutical primary packaging made from container glass, while the Gerresheimer Kosamba factory next door produces vials and ampoules from tubular glass. The Triveni Polymers plant in Kundli makes plastic containers bearing the Triveni Round and Square brand name. With its Duma, Dudek, and Triveni product lines available worldwide, Gerresheimer offers a diverse range for all manner of different drugs in various forms and sizes and with various closure types. 

Global ties

Gerresheimer’s factories in Asia, Europe, and the Americas work closely together as part of a global network. They apply good manufacturing practice (CGMP) principles rigorously and are certified to ISO 9001 and 15378 as a bare minimum. All Gerresheimer products comply with the relevant pharmacopeias (Ph. Eur., USP, and JP).