News

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METALL + PLASTIC now part of OPTIMA GROUP

Pharmaceutical filling and closing now united with isolator technologyEffective January 1, 2011, Metall + Plastic GmbH became a part of Optima Group in Schwaebisch Hall. The company has its headquarters in Radolfzell and is a manufacturer of isolators and e-beam decontaminizing systems used in pharmaceutical filling and packaging lines. Optima Group Pharma is one of the leading manufacturers of these highly specialized machine systems. Hence, the product portfolios of both companies ideally complement each other.

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Lyophilization from a one-stop supplier

The synergy potential for integrating freeze drying, loading and filling systems is great, but it does not come automatically. Franz Boßhammer reports on emerging interrelations within Optima Group Pharma and latest trends in lyophilization.

Interview with Franz Boßhammer, part II

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Clean room? RABS? Isolator?

For implementing manufacturing, filling and closing processes, barrier technologies currently are the most commonly used technologies for regulated markets such as Europe, United States, and Japan. Whether existing clean rooms are operated with new or upgraded filling and packaging technology or if the enterprise makes investments in completely new manufacturing processes, including sterile and barrier technologies, a universe of options is available to pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Barriertechnologies – criteria for choices

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Veterinary pharmaceuticals – vaccines for fowl

Modern stockbreeding prefers live vaccines to protect fowl. Production of veterinary vaccines follows principles that are quite similar to human medicine. Optima Group Pharma realized a filling project for a large German veterinary medical manufacturer.

Line for vials with lyophilization downstream

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Faster to the market

The KUGLER Flexofill machine fills neutralizing liquids into cartridges. The cartridges are used in laboratory machines between the diagnostic screening processes. They rinse, remove, and calibrate possible residues from previous applications, thus ensuring the safe and unadulterated subsequent analyses.

Diagnostics: Special machinery for new containers and products

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Searching for a new balance

The pharmaceutical industry has come under intense cost saving pressure. At the same time, innovation efforts must not and should not be put on hold, as progress in medicine often means pharmaceutical progress. This situation confronts suppliers with a real challenge: Intelligent approaches, however, succeed in guaranteeing safety with simultaneous cost advantages.

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SteriCon versus Alpha-Beta Ports

Evidently reasons for innovative pharmaceutical manufacturing system must be most compelling. Otherwise, drug manufacturers would not be prepared to leave the path of proven solutions and to accept the enormous initial certifications, efforts and costs. The SteriCon procedure is a very recent approach, but already much in demand, with first projects taking up operation in 2010.

Sterile disposable infed into the isolator

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ISPE Expert Discussion

‘New approaches for feeding sterilized components into filling and assembly lines’ was the topic of an expert discussion on September 21st at Optima Group Pharma. The event delivered an overview on current methods such as e-beam, plasma radiation, H2O2 decontamination, rapid transfer port systems and the Lugaia Stericon system.

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3rd Pharma Forum on filling and packaging

Take a look at our Impressions of Pharma Forum 2010 in an online-gallery. More than 200 guests from Europe (including Russia), the United States, India, South Korea, the United Arabic Emirates and Egypt came together in Schwaebisch Hall for the 3rd Pharma Forum. Topical presentations discussed current sector trends on the topic of filling and packaging processes. The event was held on September 15 and 16 at the company premises of Optima Group Pharma.

International pharma know-how united

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OPTIMA GROUP at PACK EXPO in Chicago

At the PACK EXPO, Optima Group (Schwaebisch Hall) will exhibit machines for the sectors pharma, consumer and nonwovens.PACK EXPO Chicago 10-31-2010 - 11-03-2010 McCormick Place Stand-No 4606 Chicago, IL, USA

Trade show preview

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Pharma market South Korea: Cophex

Upon return from the trade show in June, Optima Group Pharma reported high demands particularly in prefilled syringe processing, but also with regard to highly viscous liquid filling.

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OPTIMA GROUP pharma acquires an extended interest in Metall + Plastic

Optima Group Pharma GmbH (Schwaebisch Hall, Germany) and Metall + Plastic GmbH (Radolfzell, Germany) will join for the future.

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OPTIMA GROUP pharma acquires an extended interest in Metall + Plastic

Optima Group Pharma GmbH (Schwaebisch Hall) and Metall + Plastic GmbH (Radolfzell) will join for the future.

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OPTIMA GROUP supports several organizations

n open house at Optima Group Pharma in Gladenbach-Mornshausen was dedicated for a good cause Optima’s employees handed over 1,000 € to the association in support of cancer and leukemia patients Hilfe bei Leukämie und Krebs Marburg.

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Ready to help for DKMS charity

About 20 years ago, only 20 percent of all leukemia patients in Germany were able to find a bone marrow donor...

DKMS charity at OPTIMA GROUP

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Feedback of Packaging Valley Days 2010 was overwhelming

From June 9th - 10th, the first Packaging Valleys Days took place in Schwaebisch Hall. More than 180 guests from 15 nations participated, many of them from countries outside of Europe. The central advantage of the Packaging Valley – a cluster of leading packaging machinery manufacturers within the region – was very well received.

„Get to the heart…“

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Stable growth in 2009

Optima Packaging Group GmbH achieved a consolidated turnover of 200 million Euros in 2009. This stable development is expected to continue throughout the business year of 2010. Hans Bühler, Managing Director of the company, calls the current order situation very satisfying.

Review of OPTIMA GROUP 2009

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International „Packaging Valley Days“ Practice-oriented symposium

Customized company tours, presentations on new technologies, and practice-relevant panel discussions: With a program adaptable to individual needs and interests, the PackagingValley Days 2010 will be an exciting information platform for the latest developments and trends of packaging technology. The international symposium will take place in Schwaebisch Hall on June 9th and 10th, 2010.

Information to the Packaging Valley Days 2010

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Better, cheaper or just bridging peak times?

In some industries, outsourcing has the slightly dubious image of a cost killer. But although outsourcing once was considered a magic formula, many companies are now reversing the trend. All too often, quality problems ruined all cost benefits. Thus it is remarkable, that the trends in the pharmaceutical industry – where safety is of the essence - point in this very direction: Outsourcing is on the rise.

Outsourcing – pharmaceutical contract filling

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“You have reached your goal!”

With its own pharmaceutical products and as contract manufacturer, Fresenius Kabi Austria is well positioned on the market. It’s a novelty, however, that the company domiciled in Graz now also produces prefilled syringes. Christian Krenn (Head of Production Unit Emulsions at the facilities in Graz) reports on the successful launch of this new segment.

Fresenius Kabi (Austria): Prefilled syringes – the new segment

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Immune to the downturn?

One glance into the national papers confirms that the public is engaged in an intense discussion around vaccines. The discussion rages on around swine flu, Bird flu, SARS and other potential pandemics, which has moved the vaccine market into the focus of not only public interest but has also re-invigorated the pharmaceutical companies to develop new vaccine products.

More about the vaccine market

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Film team records practical training module

‘Precise and safe operation of Optima Group Pharma machinery’ - this was – to sum things up - the goal of the completed training courses for technicians and operators.

Customer training on site

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Value creation in the production chain

What do pharmaceutical contract fillers expect from pack-aging technologies and their filling and packaging partners? What demands do they have to meet themselves? In this interview, Alexander Stadler (head of production engineering of Haupt Pharma, Wolfratshausen) allows insights into his work. Recently, Optima Group Pharma completed the installation of a line at Haupt’s facilities.

Interview with a pharmaceutical contract filler

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Changes of the past, changes to come…

Biotechnology trends. In specific cases, the filling and packaging processes for these highly active, sometimes very expensive biopharmaceuticals require modified technologies. The in-process control developed by Optima Group Pharma in this context has led to substantial product savings and is also commonly applied in ‘conventional’ projects. [...]

New dynamics at OPTIMA GROUP pharma

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Impressive output and sophisticated technology

A compact high-speed, high-performance filling and closing line with labeling station: KUGLER’s Contiline, in co-operation with a customer’s facility in Ireland, has been developed to the requirements of the increase in demand for anti-mastitis treatments in farmed animals.

Filling and closing line for plastic veterinary syringes

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Engineering trends and economic use of resources

Today, pharmaceutical lyophilization has a permanent place in the product and service portfolio of Optima Group Pharma. We spoke to Franz Boßhammer, business manager at the Mornshausen site, about the latest developments in Klee freeze-dryers and about lyophilization in general.

Pharmaceutical lyophilization

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Marathon of events

The first highlight was an open door day (‘Open House’) for employees, then the open door days for clients, followed by a training course on ‘pharmaceutical lyophilization’. From the end of October until the beginning of November, the Mornshausen facility of Optima Group Pharma, where Klee manufactures its freeze dryers, was like a beehive.

Klee Lyophilization

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Energy savings and environmental protection in pharmaceutical freeze-drying

Pharmaceutical freeze-drying is energy-intensive. Nevertheless, improved use of resources is possible without compromising process quality.

Energy efficient

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High speed SCF syringe filling line on greenfield site

To commission a new production line is a daring task for any pharmaceutical manufacturer. In addition, if the project is implemented on a greenfield site – without any infrastructure in place – then it is an enormous challenge, as budget and time frame required strict adherence even under these conditions.

Our special project

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OPTIMA USA: A look behind the scenes

The growing number of first-rate references speaks for itself: The pharmaceutical division of Optima Machinery Corporation has become an expert for the fastidious requirements of the US pharma market. Orders range from spare parts, to servicing and maintenance, to complete lines. The branch of Optima in the United States was founded in 1985 in Green Bay (Wisconsin) and will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year.

Optima USA

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