Optima apprentices have successfully developed a miniature exhibition machine for filling mints as part of an apprentice project using agile work methods. They were supported by a teacher from Schwaebisch Hall Business School as part of the “Lehrkräfte erleben Wirtschaft” (teachers experience economy) project.

Surveys conducted by the Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) show that the supply chains of German mechanical engineering companies remain under strong pressure. With its new logistics center, special strategic measures in the run-up to the crisis and close cooperation within the Group, Optima has ensured the availability of its machine solutions and services during the corona crisis.

Optima Group welcomes Catalent’s recent announcement that it has signed an agreement with a major global pharmaceutical company to accelerate availability of manufacturing capacity and prepare for large-scale commercial manufacturing of a lead vaccine candidate for COVID-19 at Catalent’s facility in Bloomington, Indiana. Scale-up in production will include the use of an Optima high-speed vial filling line.

Optima has invested 3.5 million euros in renovations at its headquarters in Schwaebisch Hall, thereby reinforcing its commitment to operations at this location. A new 1,600 square meter assembly area has been created along with the corresponding infrastructure. This means that machines can now be assembled even more efficiently. Employees benefit from an ultra-modern infrastructure and optimized air-conditioning.

Jan Glass succeeded Dr. Juergen Kuske as Chief Financial Officer of the Optima Group on May 1, 2020.  As a result, in collaboration with Hans Buehler, the Managing Director, he is taking over the management of the central departments.

Diagnostics play a vital role in containing pandemics. Currently, identifying the SARS-CoV-2 pathogens via antibodies in the blood is becoming increasingly important, for example to detect an infection with only mild symptoms. For this type of diagnosis, blood is often drawn from the patient with the help of blood collection tubes. Manufacturing these tubes requires several high precision assembly, dispensing and packaging steps. As a total solution, Optima Automation offers an efficient machine line for this purpose.