Datwyler, a leading supplier of customized sealing solutions to manufacturers and companies which operate in the health care and automotive industry, as well as the market segments civil engineering and consumer goods, has announced the construction of its most advanced manufacturing facility - FirstLine - at the Datwyler India site in Satara, Maharashtra.

The FirstLine facility will be integrated in the existing premise, and will be fully operational in 2017. An additional area of 24,000 m2 is available for future growth. The most complex rubber components produced at the FirstLine site belong to the Omniflex family of vial and syringe components, which prevent any interaction with the drugs due to their total fluoropolymer coating. These components are exclusively manufactured at the FirstLine sites.

The Omniflex coating process is a Datwyler proprietary process. Omniflex is an inert, flexible, fluorinated polymer coating for pharmaceutical rubber closures, which covers the entire product surface. The chemical inertness of the fluorinated polymer coating provides a very high degree of compatibility with pharmaceutical or biotechnology products. Datwyler India will supply the products made in the FirstLine production facility in Satara to the company's customers worldwide.

Mr Rahul Dev, Vice President, Datwyler India said, "Datwyler's latest investment in India through the commencement of the FirstLine facility in Satara is part of the company's commitment to India and the Asian markets. Present in India since 2010, Datwyler is dedicated to guaranteeing the highest levels of quality and safety, and continues to make investments aimed at meeting global regulatory requirements. The plant currently employs 290 people. It will employ 350 people by the time the production starts in 2017."

Mr Dev further added, "India's pharmaceutical and biotech markets are evolving rapidly and have been able to gain traction from global manufacturers, suppliers and customers. The country is also getting recognised as one of the global manufacturing destinations. Our new FirstLine facility in Satara makes a great business case for us as we look at catering to global markets. Datwyler is one of the leading producers of closure solutions for injectable and vial medicines. The company's products are supplied to the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to support their efforts towards save and effective drug delivery for a healthier world."

The health care unit of the Datwyler Sealing Solutions division designs, develops and manufactures solutions for injectable packaging and drug delivery systems to facilitate customers to create a safer medical environment. In addition to the Omniflex series, vial stoppers of different sizes as well as plunger stoppers will be produced in this FirstLine facility.