Pharmaceutical Technical Centre Cologne: tradition, heritage, excellence.
Our Cologne PTC celebrates 10 years this year and for IMCD, this is a momentous occasion marking the beginning of a global network forming across the world.
Since opening in 2012, The IMCD Pharmaceutical Technical Centre (PTC) in Cologne has experienced many changes. When we welcomed employees for the very first ‘‘hands-on‘‘ pharma training in March 2013, we could hardly imagine the journey we would embark on together.
Originally, the PTC was designed as a training centre for our global sales force. More than 100 people were passing through our doors in a single year, leaving with a profound understanding of the principles of compression, formulation or manufacturing technologies. As times moved on, we expanded our technical capabilities to granulation and coatings, and imparted this expertise onto IMCD pharma colleagues.
With increased technical capabilities, the first customer projects followed soon after. PTC Cologne became a leader in ODT developments and troubleshooting, as well as feasibility studies. We tested many coatings systems and enjoyed displaying flow and compaction tests to the esteemed customers who joined our training sessions.
The very first IMCD formulated concept was a K2 ODT tablet for children and adults. This marked the start of series of prototype concepts developed by IMCD.
Why is the PTC Cologne important to us?
When we recognised the increased interest in topicals, we took action. Our brand new laboratory in the centre of Cologne was opened in June 2017, with increased possibilities for semi-solid and topical formulation development as well as fluid bed granulation and coating.
By 2018, we were holding 12 hands-on training sessions per year, around half of which were tailor-made for our customers. By 2019, we were doing more than 60 customer and internal marketing projects per year. Today, we are developing an average of around 10 new nutraceutical concepts yearly that are science based and that reflect consumer trends.
With our non-traditional approach to pre-formulation analysis, and flow and feasibility of DC formulations, we have gradually grown to become the partner of choice for various feasibility developments for our customers. Our expertise in taste masking and flavours has helped with both ODT concepts and customer OSDF developments. Years of coating trials have helped to produce many application notes for internal and external supplier needs.
Every year, we aim to follow and introduce new trends from the market and translate them into novel concepts to present to both customers and suppliers. We introduced gummies, pouches, and even pastes to meet nutraceutical and pharmaceutical needs. We worked on a mucoadhesive formulation and presented it globally when this was barely known in the industry.
We see ourselves as a bridge between the suppliers‘ products and the customers‘ application. We use this two-way bridge to share expertise with customers, but also to give real-time feedback regarding novel and breakthrough applications of supplier products.
We truly enjoyed the first 10 years, and we cannot wait for what the next upcoming years have in store for us and our partners!