Aptar Pharma, a US-based provider of dispensing solutions to the pharmaceutical industry, will expand its manufacturing facility in Congers, New York, to address the increasing demand for proprietary drug delivery systems from prescription and consumer healthcare customers in North America.
The enhancement in manufacturing capabilities will include the implementation of new technologies, digitalisation, and cleanroom environments to align with market standards.
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The facility expansion was announced in March 2024 and is scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of 2024. It will be fully operational by early 2025.
Details of Aptar Pharma’s global expansion plan
The expansion of the Congers facility in North America is part of Aptar Pharma’s broader global injectables expansion programme, announced in 2020, to substantially increase capacity across multiple product lines within Aptar Pharma.
The global expansion plan includes an injectables expansion programme in France and new manufacturing sites in Suzhou, China; and Mumbai, India. The Congers site expansion supports Aptar’s “local for local” approach, addressing the sustained customer demand in the region.
The expansion is designed to continue to meet the growing needs of the customers in the region, which will ultimately benefit patients.
Aptar Pharma manufacturing facility expansion details
The new capacity will be accommodated within the building extension at the current Aptar Congers site.
The expansion will add 28,500ft² (2,648m²), enhancing warehousing, cleanroom, and manufacturing capabilities.
A significant portion of the expanded facility will be dedicated to manufacturing Aptar Pharma’s ETFE PremiumCoat® film-coated stoppers, as part of the global injectables expansion programme. The production process will involve on-site moulding and trimming in a new ISO-7 cleanroom while finishing and automated vision inspection will be performed in an ISO-5 cleanroom.
The PremiumCoat production at Congers is included in the same Drug Master File (DMF) as Aptar’s manufacturing sites in Granville and Brecey, France.
The site will increase manufacturing capacity for the proprietary Unidose (UDS) nasal spray systems, with the addition of moulds and assembly lines in cleanroom settings to meet the growing demand from patients for systemic nasal delivery.
Furthermore, a new assembly line will be installed in the environmentally controlled good manufacturing practice (GMP) production area to further increase the manufacturing of bag-on-valve (BOV) technology to meet the rising demand for nasal saline solutions.
The expansion also includes a cleanroom extension for child-resistant senior-friendly (CRSF) closure solutions, supporting child-resistant packaging for nasal decongestant sprays.
Sustainability measures
Aptar Pharma is implementing energy-saving measures, water management, and ergonomic improvements in its injectables production to create new standards for injectable partners in the pharmaceutical industry, in line with sustainability goals.
Details of Aptar Pharma’s existing congers facility
The Congers facility has been operational with a cleanroom since 2002, initially manufacturing Aptar Pharma’s VP3 pumps.
The site currently produces a diverse range of patented drug delivery products for nasal and injectable delivery routes.
Marketing commentary on Aptar Pharma
Aptar Pharma employs more than 13,000 staff across 20 countries. It serves multiple end markets, including pharmaceutical, beauty, food, beverage, personal care, and home care.
The company leverages its market expertise, proprietary design, engineering, and science to develop innovative solutions for leading brands, impacting the lives and well-being of millions.
Aptar’s product technologies span a range of applications, including active packaging, airless packaging, BOV, bi-injection, bonded aluminium to plastic (BAP®), child-resistant/senior-friendly, e-commerce-capable, food protection, SimpleSqueeze® Elastomeric Flow Control, SimpleCycle® TPE Valve, and tethered closures technology. The products are recognised for setting benchmarks in dispensing, sealing, and active packaging innovations.
