Gerresheimer has started operations at a new plant in Zhenjiang Dagang, China, doubling its in-country production capacity for primary packaging used in injectable medicines. The company, a global supplier to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, said the facility is located in the Zhenjiang Economic Development Zone in Jiangsu Province.

Primary packaging components such as vials and ampoules are in direct contact with drug products, making their quality critical to maintaining drug stability, sterility, and patient safety. The expansion comes as global and Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturers increasingly seek to localize supply chains for critical components, a trend accelerated by pandemic-era disruptions that highlighted dependencies on imported pharmaceutical packaging materials.

The new site covers approximately 40,000 square meters and is fitted with modern, energy-efficient production lines. Gerresheimer also has an additional 33,000 square meters of land available at the location for future expansion.

Mehran Nilchian, Global Senior Vice President of Tubular Glass at Gerresheimer, said the facility is intended to support rapid market growth in China, especially in injectable biologics. “We are pleased that we can provide our pharma and biotech customers in China and the Asia-Pacific region with the best possible support through our expanded production capacity, excellent quality, and comprehensive service,” Nilchian said.

The plant includes advanced glass-forming lines as well as intelligent production and logistics systems with a high level of automation. It manufactures borosilicate glass vials and ampoules in multiple sizes and designs, in accordance with China’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for pharmaceutical packaging. Borosilicate glass is widely adopted in pharmaceutical packaging due to its chemical resistance and low thermal expansion, properties that help prevent interactions between the container and the drug.

Controlled production areas at the site include more than 2,700 square meters of ISO Class 8 cleanroom space, an ISO Class 7 microbiological laboratory, and more than 700 square meters of ISO Class 8 space dedicated to silicone coating for ampoules and vials. The facility also operates under an ISO-certified quality and environmental management system.

Gerresheimer said sustainability was a central element in the plant’s design. The facility was built to meet China’s “Green Factory” guidelines and the LEED Gold certification requirements of the U.S. Green Building Council. It includes a 2-MWp rooftop photovoltaic system that generates renewable electricity for on-site consumption.

The site also incorporates water-saving measures, including the systematic collection and recycling of rainwater and condensation from air-conditioning systems. Exhaust heat from production processes is used to heat other areas of the plant. Gerresheimer said these measures support its group-wide sustainability objectives.

The start of production comes as Gerresheimer marks the 20th anniversary of its joint venture with Shuangfeng Glass. The partnership, Gerresheimer Shuangfeng Pharmaceutical Glass Co., Ltd., now operates four tubular glass plants in China: two in Danyang, one in Zhenjiang, and the new plant in Zhenjiang Dagang.

With the additional facility, Gerresheimer expands its role as a supplier of primary packaging for the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors in China. The Zhenjiang Dagang plant currently employs about 250 people, and the company expects to add approximately 50 more jobs in the coming years, mainly for skilled workers from the region. The reserved expansion land signals potential for further capacity increases as demand for injectable drug packaging continues to grow.

Gerresheimer said the investment reflects its commitment to the Chinese market and to meeting growing demand for high-quality packaging solutions for injectable drugs.