Oliver-Tolas invests US$1.3m in Grand Rapids expansion
Includes bigger production area, ISO 8 cleanroom and modernisation of the Technology Centre
Oliver-Tolas Healthcare Packaging, a US-based supplier of sterile-grade die-cut lid, roll stock, and pouch products to the medical device and pharmaceutical markets, has made a US$1.3m investment at its Grand Rapids, Michigan facility.
The investment includes an expansion of the manufacturing area, additional cleanroom installations and the modernisation and expansion of its Packaging Development and Technology Centre.
The firm has added 40,000ft2 to the existing 140,000ft2 of production space, which allows the firm to improve its workflow, expand its cleanroom, and meet growing demand for Xhale hot melt adhesive coated packaging.
The Grand Rapids facility first added a cleanroom capability in 2005, producing Osurance zone coated lids and several specialist medical packaging products in an ISO 7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom.
With this year’s expansion, the balance of Xhale lids will be produced in an ISO 8 (class 100,000) cleanroom.
There are also plans to install cleanroom capabilities for pouch production at Grand Rapids and its sister facility in Feasterville, Pennsylvania.
The firm’s facility in Venray, The Netherlands already produces lids and pouches in an ISO 8 (class 100,000) cleanroom.
“For many years, we have been serving a specialised customer base which values sterile-grade materials produced in a cleanroom,” said Jeff Murak, vp of sales and marketing. “Now that customer base is growing to include medical device manufacturers we are excited to be expanding our cleanroom capabilities to meet the growing demand.”
Coinciding with the production space at Grand Rapids, Oliver-Tolas has also completed the modernisation of its Packaging Development and Technology Centre, which includes a 2000ft2 technical laboratory and conference centre.
In addition to an analytic and testing capability, the centre also houses eight scientists, packaging engineers and other technical experts, providing the medical device industry with world-class technical capabilities and consultancy services to assist with packaging development and other technical service needs.
