The pharmaceutical plastics sector has become Gerresheimer’s fastest growing business sector and the company has made strategic investments to ensure it has the capacity to meet rising demand.
Gerresheimer has achieved this by opening a production facility in Masalaves, Spain that it believes is the largest of its kind in Southern Europe. The plant will serve the Southern and Central European markets and is regarded by Gerresheimer as “a significant strategic base”.
From the facility Gerresheimer will produce pharmaceutical bottles and multifunctional dosage and closure systems, for delivery forms such as eye drops, nose sprays and tablets.
Gerresheimer has also invested to bolster its R&D capabilities, opening a technological centre in Peachtree City, Georgia, US. The site previously only housed a manufacturing facility but has now been upgraded with the addition of R&D capabilities.
Prior to the expansion Gerresheimer lacked a US site that could handle customised serial production of entire product and process development, with only its European sites having this capability.
Following the expansion the US site will work on highly developed inhalation systems for respiratory diseases, as well as insulin pens, skin-prick aids and lancets for the diabetes sector.
Gerresheimer has experienced steady growth in these sectors and the expansion gives it the capacity to continue strengthening its market position. Following completion of the recent expansions Gerresheimer has 15 sites operating in the plastics sector.
This capacity has been created through acquisitions and targeting investments, which, coupled to organic growth, have helped accelerate the division’s growth over the past five years. The division now accounts for a third of group sales.