Expansion of Qualicaps® state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Romania has been successfully completed, including machine start-up, quality validation, and full-scale production for commercial sale.
Resulting in a 45% increase in annual production, the expansion saw an investment of €10.4M to dedicate it to the manufacture of Quali-G™ pharmaceutical-grade gelatin capsules.
Since its inauguration in 2008, the factory has been inspected and approved by the Romanian National Health Authorities, obtained ISO 14001 certification, was recognised officially as a facility in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and has satisfactorily concluded over 50 client audits.
Vice-president of operations for the Bucharest manufacturing facility Mr. Sorin Mirea said: "We are proud to say that we have here, in Romania, a state-of-the-art plant that produces high-quality gelatin capsules for top clients in Europe and other important markets.
"Both the upgrade and the expansion performed at the Bucharest manufacturing facility take into account all three of our KAITEKI pillars of management: technology, economics and sustainability.
"We continue to focus on the cutting-edge technology we launched with the operation, while assuring economically-efficient and environmentally-sound production processes and equipment."
The expansion incorporates electrical production machinery, which does not require hydraulic movements. This eliminates the use of oils considered toxic to the environment.
This is one of many KAITEKI initiatives that have been implemented in the recent past, not only in Romania, but also in all of the company’s global production sites. KAITEKI is a concept unique to Mitsubishi Chemical Holding Corporation companies, which is at the core of the group’s strategy, management style, and enterprise-wide responsibility measures. The way Qualicaps® integrates KAITEKI into its day-to-day business activities differentiates the company within the healthcare sector, where customers rely on ethical and sustainable business partners.
Other recent KAITEKI projects carried out in the Romania factory include the use of external or recycled air in manufacturing, clean rooms, and technical spaces; improved waste management and treatment for processed raw materials; and several specific initiatives for energy savings.