Gerresheimer Medical Systems is to expand its Technical Competence Center (TCC) in Wackersdorf, Germany to include glass.

The company will create 3,000m2 of additional space for the development and industrialization of glass products, such as syringes and carpules.

The task area of the centre will be expanded beyond the previous area of focus of plastics to include the additional material of glass.

Construction began recently, and the project should be completed by the end of the year.

Glass products, such as pre-fillable syringes and cartridges will be prepared for series production there in the future.

The establishment of glass competence in the TCC will expand the technology portfolio at the Wackersdorf location.

A total of 25 new jobs will be created by 2020.

One focus of the expansion is the establishment of small batch production for pre-fillable glass syringes and cartridges.

The focus is on syringes and cartridges for sophisticated, biotechnologically manufactured medication, clinical samples for approval, or prototypes for process and technology development.

At the same time, glass competence is also being established in the Automation Systems area (special machine engineering) in order to develop technologies for glass forming and automation.

New generations of glass forming lines for syringe production will in future originate in a cooperation between Gerresheimer’s Bünde and Wackersdorf locations.

“We should also focus on large batch production at our location in Bünde, which previously had to be interrupted at considerable expense and effort for development projects and start-ups for new products,” said Manfred Baumann, Global Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing, Administration & TCC, Management Board, Gerresheimer Regensburg.

Pictured: Artist's impression of the expanded centre.