What’s Old is New Again
SCADA system helps Merck KGaA, the world’s oldest pharma firm, meet new European and U.S. regulations at its Merck & Cie plant
In the pharmaceutical industry, the chemical integrity of compounds relies on the strict control of hundreds of variables from air humidity and freezer temperatures to mixing times. Compounds like Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) may be used in anything from prescription drugs to cough drops.
APIs and other high-purity substances rely on strict environmental control for production. These controlled substances and pharmaceutical compounds must be perfectly consistent across each batch, so records of every aspect of the process must be maintained — from processing to transport to delivery.
Like its global pears, Merck & Cie, located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, must manage the operational intricacies of GMP-based compliance to be successful. Merck & Cie is a subsidiary of Merck KGaA in Darmstadt, Germany, understood as the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company with roots dating back to 1668.
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