SCHOTT Pharma AG - Doubling cleanroom production

Doubling cleanroom production in record time — the challenge

As the production lines on the lower floor of the industrial building could no longer meet demand, cleanroom production was to be expanded to the upper floor. In addition to the very limited space available, the building’s load capacity and the existing ceiling system were not suitable to carry the additional loads from the cleanroom and building services.

At the same time, strict hygiene standards had to be maintained and ongoing production could not be interrupted.

Expanding cleanroom production during ongoing operations – the success factors

1. Holistic cleanroom planning to reduce execution time

Three core capabilities were essential for delivering this ambitious cleanroom expansion: comprehensive knowledge of industrial production in plastics and life science environments, in-depth expertise in cleanrooms, GMP and building services engineering, and experience of executing complex projects during ongoing operations – criteria that IE Plast fulfilled in full.

2. Sophisticated protection concept and phased execution

The existing structure alone did not allow heavy production lines to be installed on the upper level or the additional loads to be transferred safely through the ceiling system. Therefore, a parallel steel support structure including a technical platform and around 800 reinforcement points was installed to increase load capacity. In addition, façade works and a complete refurbishment of the building envelope were required.

To avoid contamination and prevent operational disruption, IE Plast also developed a robust protection concept and a clearly phased delivery plan for the entire construction programme.

3. Immediate productivity increase through single-source planning and execution

While construction was ongoing, a cleanroom cell including provisional utilities was completed. This allowed a production line to be installed in stages and additional volumes to be absorbed early – enabling parallel installation and faster ramp-up.

4. IE methodology for maximum planning certainty

Drawing on many years of experience in industrial construction and cleanroom planning, IE Plast applied a methodical planning approach – “from the inside out”. In close coordination with SCHOTT AG, all planned measures were aligned and delivered on time, while consistently meeting requirements for cost, schedule, quality and function.

5. Close collaboration to manage complexity

In an intensive dialogue between experts from IE Plast and SCHOTT AG, solutions were developed and implemented quickly. High availability of the planning teams and short decision-making paths made a significant contribution to the project’s success.