Swiss Engineering for Global Markets
Interview with Pascal Moritz, Managing Director of Glatt Maschinen- und Apparatebau AG
It is essential and yet often invisible - the coating of tablets. In the pharmaceutical industry, the highest uniformity and efficiency are crucial. With over 40 years of experience in drum coater technology, Glatt Maschinen- und Apparatebau AG, the Swiss subsidiary of the German Glatt Group, sets new international standards.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Moritz, how did the founding of the Swiss subsidiary of the Glatt Group come about?
Pascal Moritz: Glatt was founded in the 1950s in Binzen, southern Baden. Our Swiss location has been in existence since 1971. Back then, we started in Muttenz, just a few kilometers from our current location in Pratteln. Early on, it was evident that our special competence was in drum coater technology – a specialization that we have continuously expanded since then.
Wirtschaftsforum: What exactly makes your technology so special?
Pascal Moritz: Almost every tablet is coated – whether for reasons of active ingredient release, durability, or simply to
better handling, better appearance or taste. Our claim is to coat each tablet with an absolutely uniform coating. This might sound trivial, but it's technologically challenging and essential for functional coating. For this reason, we have developed the world's first fully automatic laser-controlled spray arm. We offer solutions for batch sizes from 100 g up to 1.1 t. The challenge lies in ensuring the same quality for each batch size - this is where we are market leaders. Additionally, we offer coaters that are hermetically sealed to protect the product, the operators, and the environment during the coating of highly potent active ingredients.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is your current market position and target groups like?
Pascal Moritz: Our main focus is clearly on the pharmaceutical industry. We only occasionally serve other sectors such as specialty chemicals or food. Due to strict pharmaceutical standards and our specialization, cross-sector application is economically not very viable. Internationally, we are well positioned - with temporary focuses: sometimes Asia dominates, sometimes South America, currently Europe is again a very strong market for us.
Wirtschaftsforum: Have there been any notable developments recently?
Pascal Moritz: The years during and after the coronavirus pandemic have been exceptionally successful. We had a flood of orders and had to handle multiple projects simultaneously, which posed enormous logistical challenges - also due to limited travel opportunities. Nowadays, demand has returned to a normal, but stable level.
Wirtschaftsforum: What technical innovations are you currently pushing forward?
Pascal Moritz: One of our most important developments is that our coaters can operate with a single drum regardless of whether they are loaded to 5% or 100%. This is a clear competitive advantage, offers maximum flexibility, and saves our customers costs for an additional plant for small quantities. In addition, we have been successfully utilizing laser welding technology for over two years now. This has allowed us to improve quality, reduce costs, and shorten production times.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is the current situation regarding sustainability?
Pascal Moritz: Sustainability is not just a trend for us, but is firmly embedded in our development. Our facilities consume significantly less water and cleaning agents due to optimized cleaning processes compared to our competitors. This also results in less wastewater. Energy efficiency has also been improved through intelligent control systems – among other things, our facilities now save up to 50% of the previously required supply air energy. Thus, we not only reduce our own emissions but also help our clients achieve their environmental goals.
Wirtschaftsforum: What role does Switzerland play in your strategy?
Pascal Moritz: Switzerland is a high-wage and high-cost country, but at the same time, we have first-class skilled workers here. This forces us to constantly increase efficiency and achieve technical excellence. The strong Swiss Franc is indeed a challenge, but it is this pressure that drives our innovation. Our facilities are completely developed and manufactured in Switzerland – from design and automation to after-sales service.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is your vision for the coming years?
Pascal Moritz: Our goal is to consistently expand our leading position in the drum coater technology sector, not only setting technological benchmarks but also pioneering in terms of service and customer orientation. We continuously invest in research and development, focus on a high level of production depth, and maintain long-term, partnership-based relationships with our clients worldwide. In doing so, we see ourselves not just as machine manufacturers but also as system integrators and solution providers who cater to individual requirements.