SCHOTT in the Volga meets the requirements

A year has passed since the discovery of the first factory for the production of pharmaceutical packaging company SCHOTT (SCHOTT). The project was implemented in a very short period of time - in just 18 months. And at the end of 2011 the opening ceremony of cutting edge plant won the "Breakthrough of the Year". Rudiger Wagner, Director of Sales at SCHOTT in Russia and the CIS, responded to questions about this project and the future plans of the company SCHOTT in Russia. Mr. Rudiger, could you tell us about that SCHOTT has brought to Russia in general and in the pharmaceutical packaging market in particular?

SCHOTT company successfully works in the Russian market for many years. The company entered the Russian market by opening a representative office in Moscow in 1995. Concern SCHOTT manufactures sealed-metal compounds that protect sensitive electronics, as well as architectural glass, fire glass, glass ceramic cooktops and for the ovens, ampoule tube of borosilicate glass, optics and glass for safety systems.

In 2007 in Bor, Nizhny Novgorod region SCHOTT company opened a plant for the production of flat glass for home appliances. From the processed glass it made viewing panels and shelves for refrigerators, as well as control panels for ovens.

Also, October 1, 2009 SCHOTT glass ampoule Fiolax ® has been certified for import, as well as sales and future medical use in Russia. As the market for pharmaceutical packaging is currently growing very rapidly, as well as the Russian market is of strategic importance for the company SCHOTT, we decided to continue developing business in Russia. In May 2011 we opened in the city of Nizhny Novgorod Volga own production facilities for manufacturing high quality ampoules and vials.

Thus, taking on lease the latest modern building, we were able for a very short time to organize the local production and to enter the Russian market. The building that we rented was absolutely empty, and we have equipped him by our modern production lines and everything else that was needed.

The production area of ??our factory is about 5300 square meters. m currently in the Nizhny Novgorod plant employs about 60 staff. In the medium term, SCHOTT plans to gradually increase the number of jobs to 200. All local staff held a special training and acquire the necessary skills for the production of pharmaceutical packaging quality. Trainings are held at the SCHOTT plants in Hungary and Switzerland, depending on the functions of workers.

The plant operates in accordance with the requirements of GMP?

The plant was originally built in accordance with the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practice ISO15378. Here I would like to emphasize that the ISO is part of the "Good Manufacturing Practices" for primary pharmaceutical packaging. We ourselves are not a pharmaceutical company, but the desire of our customers meet the standards of "Good Manufacturing Practices" imposes these requirements on our products. To our knowledge, we are the only Russian producer of primary Pharmaceutical Packaging made of glass, which meets the requirements of GMP.

The fact that our ultra-modern plant of a very high-tech and innovative in itself, since it was built in accordance with all international technology and know-how of the company SCHOTT. This is particularly evident in our strict quality control at every stage of production: we conduct examination of raw materials, product testing, and then she gets into the very clean room, and again we carry out examination of the most modern methods of quality control. Only such strict controls to guarantee consistently high quality products. That is why we are unique in the market. In general, plants SCHOTT pharmaceutical packaging around the world meet standards of good manufacturing practices. The very process of obtaining a GMP certificate in Russia are not much different from other countries. And now, when our production in the Volga has this certificate, we have the right to export its products to other countries. And, despite the fact that a priority market for us - the Russian, we can also consider the delivery of goods to CIS countries, for example, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, ...

What kind of products the Russian plant produces?

The Russian plant SCHOTT produces high ampules and vials.

Experts predict 2012 will need approximately 1.6 billion of high-dose vials and 250 million vials of injectable quality. Annual growth in these markets from 2009 to 2012 will be 19% and 34% respectively.

In addition, we are seeing increased demand for pre-filled syringes. So we began to actively supply these products from our factory in Switzerland to Russia and the CIS. This trend is the gradual replacement of ampoules at the pre-filled syringes current happening in the world. Using a syringe has significant advantages: they are reliable and easy to use. This form allows you to increase storage efficiency of the use of drugs reduces the risk of errors in dosage or contamination of the drug. But if, say, America and some European countries are already working on the pre-filled syringes, in Russia the process of transition to this package has only just begun. Manufacturers of drugs and pharmaceutical packaging recently have been providing production facilities for manufacture of syringes and packaging of drugs in them. The main requirement for the successful transition of the market is consistent and rapid implementation of international standards with no exceptions. However, we believe that a complete rejection of vials and syringes for the transition will take at least several years.

The plant opened about a year ago, in May 2011. Please tell us about the major achievements during this period?

The first achievement that we can be proud of, is that Schott was successfully certified according to international standard ISO 15378:2006. This certification confirms that the quality management system and production of the Russian plant SCHOTT Pharmaceutical Packaging meet the highest international standards and also meets the requirements of the current "Good Manufacturing Practices" to the primary pharmaceutical packaging.

Our second achievement was to ensure compliance with constantly high product quality that meets international standards. SCHOTT is a leading supplier of primary packaging for the pharmaceutical industry. To deliver high quality pharmaceutical packing its customers around the company follows the highest international standards, which includes cutting-edge production equipment, a system of visual inspection and clean room, as well as access to the center of research and development. Despite this, our task is not to produce a high quality product, and to produce the same high quality is guaranteed 365 days a year. When we opened the Russian plant, we already had a client base here, and these customers already know our company and products. And thanks to our Russian plant, they now receive the same quality products that we had once exported. Production of local production meets international standards, such as, for example, the current requirement of "Good Manufacturing Practices", and so we actively promote the objectives of the State Strategy for the Development of pharmaceutical industry in 2020.

With 125 years of experience in technology and industry, SCHOTT is a reliable and trusted partner for Russian pharmaceutical companies to address the most difficult tasks in the package.