MeadWestvaco Corporation (MWV), a global leader in packaging and packaging solutions, has expanded its pharmaceutical manufacturing Centre of Excellence, based in Hemer, Germany. The facility expansion will begin in early 2013 and is expected to finish by the end of the year.

The Centre is the core for MWV’s global pharmaceutical dispensing systems manufacturing network. The $7.5 million project includes expanding clean room moulding and assembly capacity, and the introduction of a state-of-the-art logistics system to control the flow of finished goods and components. MWV is making this investment in its Healthcare business based upon the business’s rapid growth, especially in the Preservative-Free packaging market.

"This investment underlines MWV’s position as an innovation leader in healthcare dispensing systems and our commitment to manufacturing high-quality products in the appropriate regulatory environment,” said Sven-Uwe Höhm, vice president & general manager, Medical Plastics Division.

The current Centre of Excellence consists of clean rooms for precision injection-moulding and high-speed component assembly, R&D Facilities with fluid dispensing, fluid atomisation, design optimisation and broad material knowledge, and project management support. The Centre includes further Customer Service, Technical Laboratory and Regulatory teams. MWV’s healthcare products are manufactured according to ISO 9001, Quality Management System for Medical Devices ISO13485, GMP ISO15378 and 93/42/EEC Annex 5 Medical Device Directive standards.

MeadWestvaco Corporation is a global packaging company providing innovative solutions to the world’s most admired brands in the healthcare, beauty and personal care, food , beverage, home and garden, tobacco, and agricultural industries. The company also produces specialty chemicals for the automotive, energy, and infrastructure industries and maximizes the value of its land holdings through forestry operations, property development and land sales.