Uhlmann strengthens its market position in Japan

Factory Acceptance Test with a new customer via video conference 

Many Japanese pharmaceutical companies prefer domestic packaging equipment. Now, for the first time, one of the country's top 10 pharmaceutical producers has opted for a non-Japanese partner: Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG. The first project will involve the purchase of a BEC 300 blister line, a high-performance complete system comprising a blister and cartoning module, which is supplemented by two end-of-line packers, "Uhlmann powered by pester pac automation". The customer's aim is to package its increasing production volume variably, efficiently and safely. The line received the customer's approval in June 2021 - after a successful Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) via video conference - in which an OEE of over 90 percent was achieved under test conditions.

The Japanese pharmaceutical market is the third largest in the world - and by far the most demanding. A level that corresponds to Uhlmann's understanding of quality. "We offer very high quality, reliable solutions for packaging solids and parenterals. We have been able to convince Japanese pharmacists of this time and again in recent years. Now we have added another customer, which will further strengthen our market position in Japan," says a delighted Uhlmann CSO, Michael Mrachacz.  

Easy to use for maximum safety and performance 
The listed pharmaceutical company ordered a BEC 300 blister line at the end of 2020 for the efficient and safe packaging of its growing solids production. "The decisive factor for the decision was the excellent quality of the BEC 300 and the packaging it produces. In addition, the stable performance and easy operation of the line played a major role," reports Quirin Erbschwendner, Vice President for Global Sales at Uhlmann. Until then, the customer had only used machines from a single Japanese manufacturer, but the aim here is for the production staff to also be able to work intuitively and safely with the new equipment. The BEC 300 blister line scored here with its SmartControl operating system: the graphic interface design helps operators to quickly become familiar with the system and guides them through format changes. 

The BEC 300 blister line is designed for small and medium batches of up to 70,000 packs - with format changes of less than 30 minutes. A special feature is the separation of the line into two clean room zones. As is customary in Japan, the blister module is housed in a Class D clean room, the cartoning module outside the clean room. With the line, which is normally about 8 meters long, this separation is already provided for and can be implemented without additional effort or expense. Furthermore, additional cameras were installed to allow the filling line to be inspected not only from above but also from below - an example of the particularly high quality standards in Japan. The customer put these to the test in the FAT by placing small foreign particles in the blisters. A test in which the Uhlmann camera system not only fulfilled expectations, but even exceeded them. 

The line is completed by two end-of-line packers from the "Uhlmann powered by pester pac automation" series: an EW 60 bundler and an EC 12 case packer. 

FAT via video conference shows OEE at over 90 percent 
In June, the customer approved the BEC 300 - via video conference. In order to be able to carry out the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) despite travel restrictions, Uhlmann established a digital connection to Japan and thereby included the customer in the five-day FAT. Three Asian Uhlmann experts provided on-site support. "We achieved an OEE of more than 90 percent and a very high quality of packaging under FAT conditions. This enabled us to meet the extensive and very detailed acceptance criteria that the customer had set for the BEC 300. This is a good start for the joint partnership, which will further strengthen Uhlmann in Japan," says Quirin Erbschwendner. 

Press release [PDF]
Press photos [ZIP]

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ABOUT UHLMANN
Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co KG is one of the world's leading system suppliers for the packaging of pharmaceuticals in blisters, bottles and cartons. In addition to its innovative packaging lines, Uhlmann offers consulting, project management, comprehensive services and digital solutions from a single source. The company is part of the Uhlmann Group, which generated sales of EUR 423 million in the 2020/21 financial year, with around 2,600 employees. Other companies in the Uhlmann Group include KOCH Pac-Systeme, Cremer Speciaalmachines, Wonder Packing Machinery and Axito.  
More at www.uhlmann.de and at www.uhlmann-group.com