Essen pharmaceutical glass furnace rebuild completed
Gerresheimer has completed a rebuild of its clear glass furnace in Essen, creating an installation that is more powerful yet significantly more sustainable than its predecessor. The high performance furnace means that new capacity is available with immediate effect to satisfy high demand for the production of injection and infusion bottles from type II glass for parenteral solutions. At the same time, the renovation provided an opportunity to modernise the plant throughout.
“We want to make production more environmentally-friendly, while remaining an efficient partner for our customers” commented Dr Jürgen Unruh, CEO of Gerresheimer Essen GmbH, adding that the investment will also help to secure approximately 400 jobs at the plant.
Enlargements have been made to the production hall and clean room, while testing and packaging are further automated via the latest technology. Furnace energy efficiency has been improved and CO2 emissions reduced. The plant modernisation programme includes the installation of a candle filter that sustainably reduces NOx content. Furthermore, the new construction will significantly improve noise protection for the plant’s neighbours.
