Klöckner Pentaplast’s (kp, Montabaur / Germany; www.kpfilms.com) Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Films division (kp Pharma) is investing EUR 5m to expand capacity at its facility in Bern / Switzerland. The films company said this will increase production by 30% to meet market needs in Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA) as well as support growing Asian demand. The extra capacity is expected to be available by the end of 2018.

Tracey Peacock, president, Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Films at kp, said the increased moisture and oxygen sensitivity of new drugs is driving substantial growth for its barrier products in EMEA, adding that the Asian market continues to grow at double-digit rates.

She commented, “Asia provides excellent opportunities for kp as regulation continues to increase with many EMEA and US standards being adopted. We are invigorated by the opportunities and this expansion, supported by local manufacturing and slitting capability in Thailand and China, is just the beginning of some exciting plans we have.”

This latest investment comes less than two years after kp added laminating film capacity in Montabaur – see Plasteurope.com of 13.06.2016. The company is exhibiting at “Pharmapack Europe” (www.pharmapackeurope.com), which is taking place on 7-8 February in Paris / France.