Pharmatag 2019: Liquid Pharmaceuticals in the Digital age

Following the motto “Expertise for the perfect flow”, Bosch Packaging Technology Crailsheim hosted its Pharmatag 2019. 300 international participants accepted the invitation to the 9th Pharmatag on May 21 and 22, to find out more about the multifaceted world of liquid pharmaceutical filling.

“Our Pharmatag 2019 was again a great success,” said the new Crailsheim site manager Dr. Alexander Giehl. “We presented our guests with an exciting mixture of classic special machinery and innovative, digital technologies that distinguish Bosch Packaging Technology and the Crailsheim location – and will continue to do so in the future”.
Plant tour of innovations

During the plant tour on the first day of the event, the participants looked behind the scenes of production in Crailsheim. They were able to experience both established machine concepts and individual customer projects in action. These included an integrated concept of the ALF 5000 filling and closing machine with isolator for the aseptic filling of highly potent products. Bosch also presented a line developed together with a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer, including an integrated robot for the precise and safe filling of biopharmaceuticals. Also on display: the Pharma i 4.0 Starter Edition, which visualizes production data live and in real time. The data collected with the software can be evaluated and provides the basis for process optimization.

“With our broad portfolio, we cover the entire life cycle of pharmaceuticals and machines,” emphasized Uwe Harbauer, member of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch Packaging Technology GmbH and head of the Pharma division in his speech at the evening kick-off event. “Our goal is to support our customers in their daily challenges in the best possible way. To this end, we are not only expanding our portfolio in the high-performance range and for the flexible processing of small batches. At this year’s Pharmatag, we also showed that we are moving into the next era with visionary technologies, innovative services and digital solutions together with our customers”.

Interactive expert symposium
A special highlight of the symposium on May 22 at the new Carmen Würth Forum in Künzelsau was the keynote speech by Ranga Yogeshwar. The renowned graduate physicist, business journalist and television presenter dealt with central topics such as digitization, artificial intelligence and the relationship between man and machine – topics that are also increasingly important to the pharmaceutical world. Accordingly, the symposium was also characterized by digital interaction: the Crailsheim employees watched Ranga Yogeshwar’s presentation on a large screen, while the symposium participants were able to look directly into the machines at the Crailsheim plant via live data transmission.

True to the motto of the event “Expertise for the perfect flow”, the symposium, moderated by Dr. Charlotte Enghave Fruergaard of NNE, once again provided important industry impulses: four current case studies from customers all over the world highlighted aseptic filling with RABS, new technologies for the production of antibody drug conjugates (ADC) and the successful transfer of a concept study to the production of drugs for children with cancer. The symposium was complemented by 200 square meters of exhibition space, where participants were able to find out about both special topics and visionary future technologies. “The intensive personal exchange among the participants shows how important events such as the Crailsheim Pharmatag are for our industry,” says Alexander Giehl.

New site manager Dr. Alexander Giehl
Since April 1, 2019, Dr. Alexander Giehl has been the new site manager of Bosch Packaging Technology in Crailsheim. He succeeds Joachim Brenner, who moved to Königsbrunn after almost eight years in Crailsheim to take over the management of Ampack GmbH and the product group Liquid Food. Alexander Giehl has many years of experience in manufacturing and production optimization. His career at Bosch began in 2003 in machine and process development. After positions in internal consulting and at Bosch Packaging Systems, he headed the Deployment Business Excellence department at Bosch Packaging Technology in Waiblingen from 2016 until his move to Crailsheim. Alexander Giehl is supported by Thomas Raab, who holds the position of commercial manager in Crailsheim since February 1, 2019.

Based in Waiblingen near Stuttgart, Germany, and employing 6,300 associates, the Bosch Packaging Technology division is one of the leading suppliers of process and packaging technology. At over 30 locations in more than 15 countries worldwide, a highly qualified workforce develops and produces complete solutions for the pharmaceuticals, food, and confectionery industries. These solutions are complemented by a comprehensive after-sales service portfolio. A global service and sales network provides customers with local points of contact. More information is available online at www.boschpackaging.com

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 410,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2018). The company generated sales of 78.5 billion euros in 2018. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT company, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility, and connected manufacturing. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to deliver innovations for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.” The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 460 subsidiary and regional companies in over 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. At nearly 130 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 68,700 associates in research and development.

The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant upfront investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com