Südpack Group has begun construction on a major expansion aimed at boosting production of its sustainable pharmaceutical packaging solutions. The symbolic groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 25, marking what the company described as a “major milestone” for both the film manufacturer and the region.

The project, located at Südpack’s logistics center in Erolzheim, will include new production facilities for PharmaGuard, an award-winning blister concept developed by Südpack Medica for solid applications. The packaging solution, based on a polypropylene mono-material, offers a recyclable alternative to conventional, non-recyclable blister packs and has seen strong market demand since its launch.

The expansion will also feature a unit for regranulating production-related plastic waste, underscoring Südpack’s commitment to sustainability.

“Our forward-looking packaging concept already meets the future sustainability requirements of the global pharmaceutical industry – as well as those outlined in the PPWR,” said Johannes Remmele and Carolin Grimbacher, second-generation leaders of the family-owned company. “As a recyclable mono-material, it offers a significantly reduced climate impact (in CO2 equivalents) compared to laminates made from aluminum and PET. With innovations like this, we’re not only securing our future – we’re actively driving the green transformation and the circular economy within the plastics and packaging industry.”

The ceremony, held at 8:30 a.m., drew local officials and project partners, including Erolzheim Mayor Jochen Ackermann, architect Stefan Redle, and representatives from construction firms Grimbacher and Glass. Südpack executives and managing directors were also in attendance.

The first phase of the project will convert an existing hall into an ISO 7-certified cleanroom for GMP-compliant production, housing a new extrusion line and slitting machine. A new building extension will accommodate technical infrastructure, including the regranulation unit. Construction is expected to be completed by June 2026, with equipment installation to follow. Commissioning and start-up are scheduled for the third quarter of 2027.