KARLSRUHE, Germany — More than 500 invited guests and customers of Romaco China and Truking recently attended the official opening of the new Romaco China Solids Process Centre on April 16, 2019. The laboratory on the Truking campus in Changsha, China, is equipped with Innojet and Kilian machines.

With six laboratories and three conference rooms totaling 840 square meters, the new processing laboratory allows industry professionals to engage in research and development work. The services offered at the Romaco China Solids Process Centre are targeted at solids manufacturers in China and throughout Asia. Depending on their needs, companies can book laboratory sessions for drying, granulating, tableting or coating solid particles. Three Innojet processing machines plus three tablet presses from Kilian are installed at the facility. At present, compression tests can be carried out on a Kilian K 420 single-sided rotary press, a Kilian K 720 double-sided rotary press or a STYL’ONE Evolution R&D press. The processing equipment initially comprises an Innojet IGL 100 granulation line with an M 100 high-shear mixer and a VENTILUS^® V 100 LE, as well as a VENTILUS V 5 laboratory-scale processing machine that can be used for granulating, coating and drying. An innovative IHD 5 hot melt device enables trials with hot melt coatings. The Innojet and Kilian systems are suitable for laboratory-, pilot- or production-scale studies such as performance tests, feasibility studies and scale-up tests, as well as for troubleshooting, process optimization or the development of new formulations.

The Romaco China Solids Process Centre is Romaco’s first laboratory outside Europe. It is also the manufacturer’s first research institute dedicated to both processing and tableting. Laboratory work is traditionally high on the agenda at Romaco. Each of the four European production sites has its own test laboratory with latest-generation equipment and a highly specialized staff. The Romaco laboratories offer a broad array of services connected to processing, tableting and packaging technologies.

“Our daily laboratory activities are what drive our innovation process. Our customers’ needs, wishes and problems motivate us to perform at our very best,” said Romaco CEO Jörg Pieper. “The physical and cultural proximity to our customers plays an important role here, and it fills us with pride that Romaco’s first non-European laboratory has now opened in Asia. The laboratory’s location on the Truking company campus is strategically placed for us, and I’d like to say a big thank-you to both Truking and Mr. Yue Tang.”

In 2017, Truking set up a showroom for Romaco packaging technologies on its premises in Changsha. Among other things, this showroom houses a Noack NBP 950 blister machine and a Macofar MicroMaxX 18 aseptic powder filling machine for demonstration purposes. The opening of the Romaco China Solids Process Centre is further confirmation of Truking’s willingness to invest in strengthening the presence of its European subsidiary in the Chinese and Asian markets.

 “The Romaco China Solids Process Centre is yet another landmark in Truking’s collaboration with Romaco,” said Yue Tang, Truking Group Chairman and founder. “The last two years have proved just what can be achieved when you have your sights set on a common goal. Romaco’s excellent visibility on the Truking campus in Changsha will enhance our global position and send out a clear signal to our customers.”

Encouraged by the successful launch of the Romaco China Solids Process Centre, Romaco is now planning to open more laboratories offering cross-technology services at its international sales and service centers.

Romaco, Karlsruhe, Germany, is an international supplier of processing and packaging equipment specializing in engineering technologies for pharmaceutical solids. The group provides individual machines and turnkey solutions for manufacturing and packing powders, granulates, pellets, tablets, capsules, syringes, and medical devices. Romaco also serves the food and chemical industries. The company is part of the Truking Group, a globally operating high-tech enterprise based in Changsha, China. Truking’s core competency is handling and filling pharmaceutical liquids.