Expansions: Orbia Alphagary expands capacity in Mexico; Gilero expands capabilities with new facility in North Carolina

Orbia Advance Corporation Polymer Solutions’ business group Alphagary, a supplier of compounds and additives for PVC formulations including stabilisers, plasticisers and colourants, has announced an expansion of its manufacturing facility in Altamira, Mexico.

The company is installing a new production line designed to process materials with FDA-sanctioned ingredients, catering to applications in healthcare, food contact and skin contact industries. This expansion will add 15,000 tonnes/year to the facility's production capacity.

The decision to expand comes in response to heightened market and customer demand, according to Santiago Urbina, Vice President Commercial at Orbia Alphagary.

He said, "Our goal is to better serve our customers and respond effectively to growing market needs. Over the past several years, we’ve seen increased demand for specialised materials, particularly in sectors like healthcare and food safety, where the quality and safety of materials are paramount. By adding this new production line, we will be able to meet these demands more efficiently, while maintaining the high standards of quality and service that our customers have come to expect from Orbia Alphagary. This expansion is a direct reflection of our commitment to staying ahead of market trends and continuously enhancing our capabilities."

The expansion project began in July, with the new assets expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2024. The new production line will feature equipment with advanced safety features.

A comprehensive analysis was conducted to select the most suitable equipment for the expansion. The chosen equipment is designed to use less energy and reduce waste, contributing to a more environmentally friendly production process. This commitment aligns with Orbia Alphagary’s ongoing efforts to minimise its environmental impact and conserve natural resources, it adds.

Meanwhile in other news, US medical device manufacturer Gilero, part of Germany-based device supplier Sanner Group Company, says it is expanding its manufacturing capabilities with a new 5,620 sq m facility in Greensboro, North Carolina. The new facility will be dedicated to producing critical components for medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging, as well as desiccant solutions to protect moisture-sensitive drugs and devices. The location of this facility establishes US-based injection moulding and expands manufacturing capabilities to meet growing customer demand.

The new Greensboro facility with clean room class 7 and 8 will house injection moulding and desiccant filling machines, quality control laboratories, and will have humidity-controlled production areas. This expansion reflects Gilero and Sanner’s long-term growth strategy and dedication to providing customers with efficient and scalable manufacturing solutions. Production will begin in the second quarter of 2025.

“The launch of our Greensboro facility marks an exciting milestone for Gilero as we continue to expand our capabilities to support our clients’ evolving needs,” said Ted Mosler, President of Sanner US. “With this facility, we will be able to provide even greater value to our clients through faster production timelines, enhanced quality control, and increased flexibility.”

With this important step, Sanner adds it can now serve desiccant packaging customers in the North American pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries with products from the vast portfolio directly from Greensboro. This increases service commitment and will strengthen Sanner’s market position.

The Greensboro facility will complement Gilero’s already existing design centers and manufacturing facilities across North America. Together with the Sanner Group, Gilero is building a next generation medical device CDMO offering that combines agility and smart thinking with a long tradition in the active primary healthcare packaging sector, including the world’s largest portfolio of desiccant packaging and moisture management solutions.

Sanner GmbH was founded in 1894. Headquartered in Germany, it has facilities across Germany, France, Hungary, China, and the US. In November 2021, GHO Capital, Europe’s leading specialist investor in healthcare, acquired a majority stake in Sanner to partner with the fourth generation of the Sanner family to continue to support the growth of the company with a specific focus on transforming Sanner into a global MedTech CDMO.

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