Perfect location for delicate pharma

OMPI Pharmaceutical Packing Technology (China) Co Ltd's factory at the eastern end of Zhangjiagang Economic and Technological Development Zone has a distinctly tranquil, spotless, art deco feel to it.

Maybe that's just as well, given the sometimes delicate nature of the products it produces.

Already considered one of world's leading suppliers of glass pharmaceutical industry containers and packaging, the Chinese arm of Italy's Stevanato Group is now looking to increase its production capacity at the site, Operations Director Flavio Lorenzon said.

"We were certain it was the right site for us, after our executives visited around 25 other industrial parks during three months of scouting in China," said Lorenzon.

A large portion of OMPI's raw materials are imported from overseas, and so its proximity to the port reduces the risks associated with transporting so much pharmaceutical glass.

Zhangjiagang's geographical location also offers easy access to key pharmaceutical hubs in East China - it's just half an hour's drive to Suzhou, for instance, one hour to Wuxi, and two to Shanghai.

The local government's quick response to requests for investment assistance, and the high standard of the local workforce have also helped the company accelerate its expansion, said Lorenzon.

"Thanks to preferential policies, the whole process was fast," he said, noting that from its groundbreaking to becoming operational, it took just a year to create the Zhangjiagang facility from scratch.

There are now five production lines up and running at the site, after a first phase of investment worth 270 million euros ($303.8 million).

Another 130-million-euro investment is likely in a second phase, and by the end of 2017, the Zhangjiagang facility is expected to have a maximum production capacity of 450 million ampules and vials.

Lorenzon said that as Chinese residents continue to demand higher levels of healthcare and medical services, OMPI's market has been expanding at a pace well ahead of overall economic growth.

"The market here in China is moving very quickly - beyond our expectations."

(China Daily European Weekly 10/22/2015 page15)