Germany-based technology group SCHOTT is investing in a new glass tank at its tubing manufacturing plant in Jambusar, Gujarat, India.
Image: The SCHOTT's perfeXion approach ensures 100% inspection of each Fiolax tube. Photo: courtesy of SCHOTT.
SCHOTT said that the rise in demand for Fiolax glass tubing in the pharmaceutical industry has made the company to announce an additional double-digit, million-euro investment at its tubing facility.
The expansion, which aims to increase production capacity of pharmaceutical tubing in India, follows recent investments at the site including the construction of another additional tank facility in 2018.
SCHOTT plans to commence pharmaceutical Fiolax tubing production from the new tank in the second half of 2020.
The firm said that the capacity expansion forms part of its global growth strategy of its pharma tubing and packaging business segments.
SCHOTT business unit tubing executive vice-president Dr Patrick Markschlaeger said: “The pharmaceutical market is booming worldwide with a very high demand for premium pharmaceutical packaging and tubing.
“In order to supply the rapidly growing domestic and Asian market, we are investing once again a multimillion-euro figure in our Jambusar site to increase our manufacturing capacity in India.”
The high hydrolytic resistance feature of the SCHOTT’s Fiolax borosilicate glass tube makes it ideal material for primary packaging of medicines, the firm said.
SCHOTT Glass India Jambusar sales and marketing vice-president Sundeep Prabhu said: “Since its development in 1911, FIOLAX has been established as the gold-standard material for pharmaceutical containers and its behavior with drugs is well researched and proven. In India, it is primarily used to manufacture glass vials and ampoules.”
The investment will also see an extension of the batch house, warehouses and a new chimney.
In order to ensure manufacturing of zero defect tubing, the new tank will feature the big data approach perfeXion, which ensures 100% quality control of each tube on the line by using cameras, laser and IR inspection systems.
In January 2019, Schott said it plans to invest up to €300m (£265m) in its pharmaceutical packaging business.
Schott intends to use the investment in the next three years to expand its core business of glass tubing, which is the starting material for pharmaceutical packaging.