Gerresheimer, an innovative systems and solutions provider and global partner for the pharma, biotech and cosmetics industries, is significantly expanding its production capacities for medical systems such as inhalers and autoinjectors in the United States. In two expansion stages, Gerresheimer is expanding the production area at its Peachtree City site in the state of Georgia, USA, by around 18,000m² (194,000ft²).
The company is investing a total of around €166m ($180m) in the construction and equipping of the two new buildings. Gerresheimer will create more than 400 new jobs in Peachtree City as part of the expansion. The company currently employs around 270 people at the site. With the expansion in Peachtree, Gerresheimer is also underscoring its leading market position as a system and solution provider for drug delivery systems in the North American market.
“North America is an important growth market for us. The expansion of the site in Peachtree City is of great importance for our medical device business in the USA,” says Dietmar Siemssen, CEO of Gerresheimer. “The expansion of this site is therefore currently one of the key projects in our global capacity expansions based on long-term customer contracts.”
Construction work of the first expansion stage almost completed
In the first stage of expansion, a new building section covering around 7,700m² (83,000ft²) was built directly next to the existing plant. Around 5,000m² (53,800ft²) are intended for ISO 14644-1 cleanroom Class Nine production areas. After completion of the construction work, the installation of the specialized production technology will begin in the second half of 2024. At the end of 2024, ramp-up of production will start in the new section of the building. Also part of the new building is a new, automated high-bay warehouse. After completion of the first stage of expansion, the Peachtree City site will have a total of approximately 12,000m² (130,000ft²) of cleanroom Class Eight and Nine production space.
Second expansion stage started – new factory hall with growth option
As part of the second stage of expansion of Gerresheimer’s manufacturing capabilities in Peachtree City, a completely new 10,200m² (110,000ft²) plant is being built near Atlanta Regional Airport, approximately 2.6km (1.6 miles) from the first production site, which will have an additional 7,200m² (77,500ft²) of cleanroom Class Nine production space and also an automated high-bay warehouse. After the preparatory work for the access road and supply infrastructure, the construction of the new factory building will soon begin here. In the course of 2025, the installation of the production and assembly lines will follow, and production is also scheduled to start here towards the end of 2025. The factory site on which the new building is being built also offers enough space for future expansions.
Becoming one of the largest employers in the region with over 400 new jobs
With the capacity expansions, Gerresheimer is creating more than 400 new jobs for skilled workers in Peachtree City. Once the expansion is complete, Gerresheimer will be one of the largest employers in the city, which is located about 40km (25 miles) southwest of Atlanta, the capital of the state of Georgia, with around 700 employees.
At the Peachtree site, Gerresheimer produces medical devices such as inhalers, components for infusion sets, microinjectors, test cards for microbiological tests, and autoinjectors, which can be used in diabetes and obesity therapy, among other things.