As part of its global growth strategy, the technology group SCHOTT is investing BRL 50 million in its pharmaceutical tubing production in Rio de Janeiro in the next two years.

The invest covers the latest update of the company’s perfeXion® process – a 100 percent on-line inspection system, which examines every single tube – as well as implementing state-of-the-art production technology in glass-melting furnaces.

It follows a previous modernization project, which has already raised investments in excess of BRL 80 million during the last five years.

By further investing in perfeXion^® machinery among others, SCHOTT strengthens its leading position in the Brazilian pharmaceutical tubing market.

Quality control is a key aspect in the pharmaceutical industry with regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical groups increasingly reinforcing the need for a 100 percent inspection of glass tubing to detect possible defects.

Therefore, SCHOTT is enhancing its existing perfeXion^® quality approach in its plant in Rio, which replaces statistical sample-based quality assurance with 100 percent on-line measurement of each individual FIOLAX^® tube.

Several online inspection and interaction devices, in combination with integrated data collection and analysis, enable parameters to be adapted to the packaging type format and customer-required specifications.

“In line with our zero defect approach, we already established a new era in quality processing for pharmaceutical tubing with perfeXion^®. Now, the investment allows us to further optimize the machinery to continue setting new standards in the pharma glass industry," explains Joerg Wagner, Technical Director of SCHOTT Brazil Division Vitrofarma.

The investment also features the implementation of a highly advanced production technology in all glass-melting furnaces. This enables the company to manufacture a product of even higher quality and contribute to the environment by reducing fossil fuel consumption and emission of greenhouse gases.

High-quality pharma packaging 

“Based on FIOLAX^® tubing, we manufacture a wide range of primary packaging for parenteral drugs at our sites in Colombia, Brazil and Argentina,” states Quineo Marques, Regional Sales Director at SCHOTT Brasil Packaging Division.

“In the Latin American market, we especially see a high demand for vials and ampoules. Thus, we offer an integrated supply chain approach from tubing to pharmaceutical packaging.”

First Technical Glass Symposium in Rio

To discuss the importance of high quality pharmaceutical tubing and packaging, SCHOTT is holding a technical symposium in Rio de Janeiro on April 9 and 10.

The event will cover aspects related to the differences between type I glasses, dimensional accuracy and cosmetic quality, the future of the injectable drug manufacturing and drug delivery systems. The attendees also have the chance to visit the tubing production plant and witness the manufacturing process of high quality glass tubing firsthand.

"We are extremely proud to bring this discussion to the Latin American market and highlight the importance of the region for SCHOTT. We believe that technological innovation and the elimination of patient risks are two basic premises that must constantly be present in the policy of companies operating in the pharmaceutical sector", explains Peter Scherer, Vice President Marketing and Sales at SCHOTT Tubing.