Innovative Aseptic Technologies: Details Of Boehringer's Award-Winning Project
Joachim Schwiezer, Senior Project Manager Engineering and Technology, Boehringer Ingelheim gives an overview of his award-winning project, “Aseptic Area 5 and Combi Line”, in an internview at Pharma EXPO 2014. Boehringer Ingelheim, a pharmaceutical company committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel medications, received the Facility of the Year Award (FOYA) for Equipment Innovation at the company’s Biberach site.
Interview Transcription:
Todd S: Alright. Good morning. Todd and Todd live from Chicago Life Science Connect Radio’s day 4 coverage from this great event. Todd, I’m looking forward to this. We have an award winner on the show.
Todd Y: This is a legitimate, for real special guest because of the award.
Todd S: Yes. So let’s get right to it. Say hello to our guest. His name is Joachim Schwiezer, Senior Project Manager Engineering and Technology with Boehringer Ingelheim. Joachim, welcome to the show.
Joachim: Oh, welcome.
Todd S: So good to have you. Thanks for stopping by and doing this for us. I want to ask two favors from you. First of all, could you tell us a little bit about you and your background.
Joachim: Yes. I’m project manager at Boehringer Ingelheim and I’ve been 23 years at Boehringer Ingelheim mostly in Germany, in the Biberach site in the last 2 ½ years.
I had a project at the Ingelheim site for our product. Since May, I’ve been separated in Fremont, California to be a project manager for filling and packaging project for biopharmaceuticals in Fremont.
Todd S: Outstanding. Tell us the story of Boehringer Ingelheim, what do you do, how do you serve your market.
Joachim: Boehringer Ingelheim is a big German family-owned pharmaceutical company mostly in pharmaceuticals but also in biopharmaceuticals and its research and development, a big company we have in research and development worldwide in US, in Germany, in Japan, and manufacturing also worldwide in US, in Brazil, in Europe, and in Asia.
Todd Y: Can you give us a little background on the project that won the award?
Joachim: Yes, the project that won the facility of the year award 2014 was for equipment innovation and it was my last project in Biberach from 2009 to 2011. It was a very innovative and flexible installation of tool, aseptic filling lines – one for vials and the other one for cartridges and vials.
Both lines are connected with two freeze dryers, lyopholizers and all fully automated. In isolated technology, we have 5 isolators separate to connect the filling machines. If they want to fill liquid vials or if they want to fill freeze dried vials, they can connect the isolators to make the operation very flexible.
Todd S: Well, it sounds fascinating. Just a recap. It was the facility of the year award in the equipment innovation.
Joachim: Yes.
Todd S: I want to be sure the audience is clear on the category there. So what was it about the project that was award-winning. When they talked about it, when they awarded it, what was about it that made them say this is worth showcasing?
Joachim: The showcase is that the first filling line with the five isolators and separator to run fully automated, the process, and it’s installed in an existing pharma building and we made the outside with much of glass to get it very transparent for our clients and for the authorities and also for the people, the working people inside that they have a few to the outside of the building if it’s day or it’s night and to feel very comfortable in the area to work there.
Todd Y: Does the fact that it was installed in an existing facility have a major impact or does that imply it can be put in just about anywhere?
Joachim: That’s also very difficult to get it in a running pharma facility to install there a new facility with lyophilizers, with 19 tons to bring in. We had very difficult and tricky bring in for all the equipment and also for the air handling units for the isolator. We have to put up to the ceiling of the second floor and there was some very difficult actions to install the whole facility.
Todd S: Well, how did you do it? What I’m getting at is for our audiences listening to you who has a similar project that they have to do, what are some key lessons you can share from the project that will help us someone down the line who is going to do something similar?
Joachim: Yes, very important is to start early in contact with the users to get clear user requirements to understand what they really want to have and also to be flexible if the requirements change. There was also with the double chamber line that was added in the planning phase.
We only started, the feasibility study we have only one line but then to be flexible and to have the right engineering partners to get a real solution and to be also flexible to make in the planning phase changes to get the right installation for the user and also to have the best suppliers for the machines to get a good solution. Then it’s an ongoing process to get qualification and validation in the real time.
Todd Y: How many different pharmaceuticals can be in process at any given time? You’ve got the 5 different isolators. Does that imply there’s 5 different products?
Joachim: No, no, we mostly need 1, 2, or 3 isolators for one process especially for the filling of the freeze dryers, we need the isolator for the filling machine and also for the loading and unloading system for the freeze dryers and the other line can run also to the other freeze dryers or directly with liquid vials to the capping machine. But the two filling lines, they can produce at the same time 2 different products.
Todd S: We have the good news and bad news. Good news is he has won an award for an amazing project. The bad news is now you’re going to be expected to replicate that again and again. Talk about some current projects that you’re working out and what kind of unique challenges are you finding there?
Joachim: Yes, the current project that I have now in Fremont, California is a filling line that is still installed and is now in the qualification phase and will make the in first quarter of 2015. There’s also a packaging project we get in contact with for our suppliers on the show and we’ll start the construction phase now for the machines and in parallel the finalization of the planning for the construction in the Fremont site.
Todd Y: Joachim, talk a little bit about things you learned on the award-winning project that you’re applying now and adapting obviously, adapting and applying to the current project.
Joachim: What I learned or what’s my experience not only for this project that won the award in Biberach but it’s very important to have the right project team behind the project lead to get the right for the engineering firms and also for the suppliers when they come and ask how can we do this solution, is it okay. Then you have to have the background and the engineers to give them the right and then the project is running smoothly.
Todd S: Joachim, we are on the final day of PACK Expo and PHARMA Expo. I’m just curious as you’ve walked around at this event, what have been some of your key takeaways? What have you learned?
Joachim: It’s very good to have these expos also here in US and this is the first expo here in US I was to see the real running machines and get new ideas from other suppliers and also to get in contact with our suppliers and the suppliers we are now in contact to make some small talk to get conversation about the running project.
Todd S: Alright. Well, Joachim, I hate to say it but we’re running low on time. Before we let you go, how can people get in touch with you and learn more about your work with Boehringer Ingelheim?
Joachim: They can contact me on the www or contact me with JoachimSchwiezer@Boehringer.Ingelheim.com.
Todd S: Alright. Joachim Schwiezer, Senior Project Manager in Engineering and Technology with Boehringer Ingelheim and the project manager of the facility of the year award in the equipment innovation category. Joachim, it was a real pleasure to have you. Thanks for stopping by and congratulations again.
Joachim: Thank you.
Todd Y: Congratulations and thanks.
Todd S: Alright. Well that wraps this segment. This has been Life Science Connect Radio. Todd and Todd signing off from Chicago. Our live coverage will be right back.