Harro Höfliger supplies packaging system for COVID-19 vaccine

A Harro Höfliger location in Backnang is currently building a packaging plant for the packaging of vials with the vaccine. (Photo: Harro Höfliger)

Now everything has to happen quickly – the production and transportation of the vaccine by BioNTech and Pfizer is a major challenge. The Harro Höfliger Packaging Machines GmbH from Allmersbach im Tal plays a key role in packaging the vials with the vaccine.

The goal is close: the vaccine from BioNTech and Pfizer has already been approved in some countries. But in order for the coveted and valuable commodity to reach patients, millions of filled injection vials must be safely packaged. At the Backnang site of Harro Höfliger Packaging Machines GmbH, a high-performance packaging line has been built in record time over the past few weeks. It will package the delicate glass vials into folding cartons, label them, and print relevant data on them.

The mid-sized company from Allmersbach im Tal is very pleased to be able to contribute to combating the Corona pandemic. "We are proud to be a link between the production of the vaccine and the supply chain to the people," says CEO Thomas Weller. At the same time, he has respect for the challenge: "This is not our first packaging line for vaccine vials. Nevertheless, we have never before faced the task of manufacturing such a system in such a short time. We can only do this because the motivation and support within our workforce are extremely high for this project."

To deliver its machines as quickly as possible to Pfizer's Belgian production site, Harro Höfliger is pulling out all the stops. For this order, production capacities were reallocated, and a shift model was created for mechanical and electrical assembly as well as commissioning. Even on Saturdays and during the typically quieter days between Christmas and New Year, work continues at full speed on the horizontal cartoner MKT in Lerchenäcker. Simultaneously, the Modular Quality System (MQS) is being developed at the Satteldorf site near Crailsheim for labeling, serialization, laser coding, and quality control of the folding cartons filled with the vaccine.