High-end production in the pharmaceutical cleanroom

Lactosan: Photo credit: Wladimir Goltnik, René Reiter

Christian Lorenz: Photo credit: Lorenz Consult, Jürgen Skarwan

Lactosan produces in defined cleanroom zones, depending on whether feed, food, or pharmaceuticals are manufactured. The cleanrooms are tailored to the hygienic requirements specific to each product. The civil engineering firm Lorenz Consult accompanies Lactosan in the development, planning, and realization of the biotechnological industrial buildings.

Since 2003, five major expansion phases and several small projects – always during ongoing operations – have been implemented with Lorenz Consult. Now, expansion phase 6 follows. After the group approved the investment in June 2019, planning and permitting processes were completed to such an extent that excavation work could begin in September 2020. Completion is planned for 2023. This expansion phase will enable Lactosan to double its current production capacities in the final stage.

"In recent years, Lorenz Consult has increasingly received inquiries from the feed and food industries," reports DI Christian Lorenz, Managing Director of Lorenz Consult from Graz. The contamination-free production in a factory requires precisely defined and well-designed material and personnel flows. "The broad range of services and expertise offered by Lorenz Consult forms the basis of our collaboration. At Lorenz Consult, we are prepared to push the limits of what is feasible when it comes to the uncompromising planning and implementation of concepts if it benefits the project," describes Dr. Hans Peter Lettner, Managing Director of Lactosan.

Room-in-Room for Sterile Production To save on investment and energy costs during later operation, room-in-room concepts are often implemented. The required conditions are not necessary in every part of the manufacturing process. "The challenge in constructing these rooms lies in the required quality and airtightness. Building supervision must pay close attention to this," emphasizes DI Christian Lorenz. The room requirements in some areas are comparable to those of cleanrooms in the pharmaceutical industry. It pays off that Lorenz and his team have already completed numerous projects in this sector.

Innovative Expansion During Ongoing Operations As a specialist and service provider, Lactosan has established a name for itself and continuously invests in the future at the company site with buildings for production, laboratories, technical and social rooms, offices, including the necessary peripheral infrastructure for wastewater and waste management. All this is done while maintaining operations, always with expertise in state-of-the-art systems and Industry 4.0 factories with digitalization by Lorenz Consult.

With expansion phase 6, the fermentation and freeze-drying lines will be expanded. This is intended to meet the steadily increasing demand in the coming years. During the planning phase, digital twins for construction, technical building equipment, and production facilities were created using BIM technology. Collisions in areas with high pipe density could thus be detected and resolved early. This saves time and costs.