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15 F or several years now, the Wehrheim-based com- pany, Heraeus Medical, has invested heavily more than double the industry standard in research and development, and these efforts have proven to be very successful. In 2015, Heraeus Medical was recognized as one of the top two innovative companies among German SMEs and its pipeline of new products is quite substantial. One question that concerns researchers at Heraeus Med- ical is how to insert a bone cement which is used to fix joint prostheses into the body during surgery. With this in mind, Heraeus Medical has developed the PALACOS® Pro system. Bone cement is traditionally prepared in the operating room by mixing a liquid and a powder. PALACOS® Pro simplifies this process. From the production standpoint, however, the new simplified system presents a challenge. The system is relatively large, and as demand has grown, the now cramped facilities in Wehrheim are working at top capacity. In order to ensure customer demand of this popular product, Heraeus Medical must further develop the site and this requires additional new machinery. “We want to continue our annual growth of over 10 percent and to do this, we must adapt our infrastruc- ture,” explains Dr. Britta Bär, the pharmacist responsible for production and the supply chain at Heraeus Medical and, in this capacity, also responsible for the site expansion. The company is spending €17 million to build new production facilities, where, in addition to PALACOS® Pro, Heraeus Medical will be manufacturing another innovative product. By 2020, Heraeus Medical aims to generate a third of its revenue with products currently in the development pipeline. A little like Tetris One thing is clear: The new construction opens up entirely new opportunities. “It’s a bit like playing Tetris,” says Dr. Bär. Spaces and work areas are defined, new configurations are tried out, and the best solutions are sought. One goal is clear: The new setting must meet the requirements of lean production. From preparing the powder mixtures to filling the containers to packaging the product, workflows are being trimmed down to consist only of the process steps that are actually necessary. “In the end, we’ll have a production flow that is less segmented and much more automated than before,” she explains. Dr. Bär wrote her doctoral thesis about the essential oils of odorless chamomile. After working for a time in quality control, she moved to production at a pharmaceutical company – an entirely different world. Now she has worked in production for a good 20 years, nine of them at Heraeus, and she clearly loves her job. She is interested in its tech- nological aspects and fascinated by the workflows from delivery of the raw materials to distribution of the finished product. The fact that the outcome is tangible is another plus for someone who wants to shape change and move things forward. Short paths, flat hierarchies and design freedom – Dr. Bär appreciates the open space she gets while working on her projects. “Everyone here is empowered to do their job, but we’re also responsible for doing it right.” Of course, this doesn’t only apply to her as a manager; it also applies to her employees. “I view my role as something like that of a conductor,” she comments. “I set the pace and tell them when to start, but then it takes the talent and commitment of each employee to make something come of it.” The new project has brought a few new musicians to her ensemble, such as architects and structural engineers. They are all building blocks for innovative products to make it from the development lab to the patient. The company firmly believes in growth. ● Heraeus Medical is a leader in the field of bone cements and biomaterials for elective orthopedic and trauma surgery. In order to be able to manufacture these new and innovative products, the medical technology specialist is expanding production. DR. BRITTA BÄR, the project manager, explains how. HERAEUS | MAGAZINE 2015 | MAKING CEMENT

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