Speciality glass manufacturer Schott has outlined its strategic position in North America.
It is structuring its presence in North America to align operations with its most robust sales market and accelerate global profitability.
Schott’s Pharmaceutical Systems business unit in Lebanon, Pa. contributed to the global Covid-19 response, increasing manufacturing capacity to serve the needs of vaccine makers.
In addition, the Pennsylvania plant supplies high-value products such as adaptiQ ready-to-use vials and Everic pure for highly potent drugs like cancer medication.
As part of a multimillion-dollar investment in the US this past fiscal year, the facility saw upgrades and expanded capacity for vial production.
Supplementing the company’s contribution to the health industry, the company’s acquisition of Applied Microarrays Inc (AMI) adds biotech capabilities for diagnostics applications along with a production hub in Arizona.
Schott’s Lighting and Imaging business unit in Southbridge, Mass., expanded its portfolio of fiber-optic imaging technologies by acquiring INCOM’s MEGAdraw business.
As Schott manages its strategic portfolio within the US home appliance market, it sold its flat-glass entity Gemtron, to SSW Advanced Technologies.
Schott will focus its home appliance activities in North America on specialty glass materials such as Ceran glass-ceramic cooktops, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and sold its 200th millionth cooktop panel.
A new post-processing line for Ceran is in the works at its Vincennes, In. facility.
“With seven production sites, one R&D centre, a sales office, and roughly 1,000 employees in the US, Schott is well established,” said Dr. Heinz Kaiser, board member and responsible for the group’s business in North America.
“Over the past several years, we have invested $60 million in the US, and additional investments will accelerate our strategy of profitable growth and allow us to concentrate our activities on markets where we expect strong, sustainable development.”
