The Alpla Group is further expanding its pharma division Alplapharma with its acquisition of Heinlein Plastik-Technik GmbH. The German packaging specialist Heinlein is one of the world’s best-known addresses for the development and manufacture of closure systems, dosing systems and application aids for the pharma and medical industries, and currently has a workforce of around 175 at its site in Ansbach, Bavaria.
"I am delighted that we have been able to gain Heinlein Plastik-Technik, which is a long-established, global business," says Alpla CEO Philipp Lehner in summary, upon successfully concluding the negotiations. "It is a good fit with our focus on the one hand on the dynamics of advancing technological innovations and on the global expansion of our business activities on the other. With the extensive know-how that Heinlein has to offer, we can expand our product portfolio to include high-quality primary packaging solutions for the pharma industry. The beneficiaries of this will first and foremost be our mutual customers, who will now be able to source their tailored system solutions from a single place."
"With Heinlein Plastik-Technik at our side, our capacities in the area of injection moulding will now considerably increase once again," adds Walter Knes, Managing Director of Alplapharma: "We additionally plan to turn the Ansbach site into a technology centre for injection moulding and automation technology for the entire Alplapharma group."
Saskia Wellhöfer-Meyer, owner and CEO of Heinlein Plastik-Technik, sees the acquisition as the perfect opportunity to systematically further develop the company’s site: "We look forward to applying our broad expertise in the development and production of precision closure and dosing systems. I firmly believe that, as we continue to operate largely independently as a “Member of Alplapharma”, we will henceforth be in an even better position to cater to the market demand for comprehensive, high-quality and competitively priced system solutions."
Specialist in the manufacture and development of primary packaging
Heinlein has been steadily investing in expanding its site since 2018. Measuring more than 22,000 square metres, it now comprises development, construction including the company’s own mould construction and mechanical engineering, and production together with moulding and assembly. Innovative injection moulding technologies and state-of-the-art in-line production serve as the basis for the manufacture of primary packaging made of plastic.
Heinlein’s machine fleet currently comprises more than 60 injection moulding and assembly machines. More than a billion plastic components are produced annually in three-shift operations. All the process steps, from the products’ development and manufacture to assembly and delivery, are subject to global quality assurance standards and are consequently certified in accordance with ISO 9001, HACCP, GMP 15378 and ISO 13485. Heinlein is additionally heavily involved in environmental matters and sustainability projects, and endeavours to also involve its customers, partners and suppliers in this engagement.
The contract was signed on June 12, 2024. The parties have agreed not to disclose the negotiated details of the transaction.