Sanner, a German manufacturer of plastic packaging and components for pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare products, is modernising its plant in Bensheim in a €4m investment.
The company is improving the flow of goods through the plant and building a technical services centre with a power/heat cogeneration system. The updated facility will provide clearly defined production zones along with structural improvements in the GMP production environment. It is scheduled for completion next June.
Focusing on environmental sustainability, one of the main objectives of the upgrade is to optimise material flow and ensure energy-efficient production across the entire value chain.
‘We have continuously expanded and modernised our site since the 1960s,’ says Holger Frank, CEO of Sanner. ‘In the past, the renovations took place in stages. This more comprehensive construction project will close the gaps in our overall logistics and infrastructure.’
In the future, a transport corridor will provide a central infrastructure axis across the 30,000m² site. The complete supply chain, from goods receiving to product delivery, will be integrated along this north-south axis. The separate production facilities will be connected to the infrastructure axis in a modular system organised according to the different production stages and product types. This will shorten supply lines and make production processes leaner, the company says.
The excess heat from two gas-powered generators in the new building services centre will be converted into cooling air and process refrigeration as required. This method generates 50% of the required energy with gas and will help the company combat electricity price increases.
‘The comprehensive renovation of our main plant will prepare us for the future and ensure that we can maintain our position as an innovative market and technology leader,’ said Frank.
At the same time, the extensive construction work is a clear commitment to the business location.
‘Our roots are in Bensheim – and this isn't going to change. The town offers ideal conditions for the continued development of our company,’ he added.
