History
Travel back through time and into the future
From a small craftsman’s business in Southern Baden to an internationally leading supplier of integrated process solutions for customers in the pharmaceutical, food and feed processing, and fine chemicals industries. Six decades of groundbreaking developments and technically mature constructions. Distinguished by the pioneering spirit of the founder, Werner Glatt and by the aspiration to set standards of quality and high performance. Take a glance at our success story.
1949 - 1953
The dream of owning a factory
Werner Glatt completes the exam to become a master tinsmith.
He starts his own workshop at home in Binzen.
Experiences in various operations in Germany and in Switzerland.
While training for master tinsmith, the young Werner Glatt from the Southern Baden town of Binzen harbors the desire to become self-employed with his skills. As an employee of the Geissenberger Company in Basel, he builds his first own workshop in his grandmother’s goat barn where he does small repairs for neighboring farmers right after his master exam.
During his apprentice years at various companies and his traveling years throughout Germany and Switzerland, the young tinsmith collects valuable experience in implementing large-scale orders for industry as well, which later will help him when he establishes his own company.
1954 - 1958
From a craftsman’s business to technology partner for the pharmaceutical industry
Founding of his own company in Weil-Haltingen.
Starts with stove pipes. Expansion to ventilation and dust removal systems.
First contracts for the pharmaceutical industry and expansion of equipment manufacturing.
In 1954, Werner Glatt has the opportunity to acquire his own factory rooms. In neighboring Weil-Haltingen, near the Swiss border, he establishes his own business in the rooms of a former factory for tubular furniture. First he supplies the surrounding farms with stove pipes. A little later, he expands his product range to ventilation systems and dust removing systems. Occasionally, he also executes larger orders for industrial operations in the area.
His technical know-how and the geographic proximity to the large pharmaceutical companies soon lead to a fruitful collaboration that influences his small company long-term. Within a few years, his business has grown successfully so that he increasingly turns to machine construction. This is how he began manufacturing dryers for the pharmaceutical industry.
1954 - 1958
1959 - 1970
Pioneer of fluidized bed technology & expansion into new markets
Glatt on the road to success
1959: First fluidized bed dryer for the pharmaceutical industry.
1961: Move to Binzen and the first stand at the ALCHEMA trade fair.
1964 – 1966: New development of the fluidized bed spray granulation technology.
1966: Further development of the fluidized bed coating technology in the Wurster method – first Glatt fluidized bed granulator WSG.
Since 1962: international expansion.
The first fluidized bed dryer for the pharmaceutical industry is developed by the young company with only a dozen employees for the Gödecke company in Memmingen. This becomes the basis for all established fluidized bed processes today. Many of the conventional tray drying processes can be significantly shortened and are easier to handle. More large orders follow for renown pharmaceutical companies such as Merck, Höchst and Geigy.
1959 Glatt acquires the areal and buildings of the former Bühlmühle in Binzen, Werner Glatt’s home town. After extensive renovations, the company moves back to Binzen in 1961 where its headquarters are still located today. In the same year, Glatt was present with its systems for the first time at the ACHEMA, the world’s largest chemicals trade fair in Frankfurt am Main.
1962 – 1966 The Glatt company develops a new process for fluidized bed spray granulation in collaboration with Sandoz in Basel. The first tests for this technological innovation were conducted with a vine sprayer on the grounds of the Binzen company. The Glatt fluidized bed granulator was an international success for the company. As a pioneer, Glatt not only decisively influenced the fluidized bed technology but also continues to develop this into the future.
Soon the company achieved another revolutionary development in collaboration with the Roche company: a new kind of fluidized bed varnishing and sugar coating process. It delivers similar coating results as the process already developed by Prof. Wurster at the University of Wisconsin, USA. This development led to a fruitful collaboration with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation which was established to jointly optimize the process.
The 1960’s was also the time of international expansion. With his intense travel and his personal commitment, Werner Glatt lays the cornerstone for collaboration with many large pharmaceutical companies and for dynamic international sales.
In just a few years, the Glatt brand is represented with its fluidized bed systems across the entire North and South American continents. 1970 The company produces for the Japanese market. The revolutionary technological innovations and the high quality of the product together with the often friendly relationships between Werner Glatt and his customers and partners pave the way for the company’s international growth.
1971 - 1988
New branches & new technologies
1971: The first pan coater is developed and the production branch in Pratteln, Switzerland is founded.
1973: The Glatt Air Techniques is founded in Ramsey, New Jersey in the USA.
1981: The first granulation line for vertical product flow is developed. Founding of additional branches with sales and services centers in France and later in Great Britain and Denmark. Founding of additional branches with sales and services centers in France and later in Great Britain and Denmark.
1971 Glatt develops the first pan coater and, in the same year, establishes his first branch office in the Swiss town of Pratteln with a focus on pan coating manufacturing.
1978 The company develops an innovative coater with a horizontal, fully perforated drum.The existing technologies are continuously enhanced and further developed. In 1981, Glatt develops the first granulation line for vertical product flow. The new product flow concept enables the transfer of product across multiple building levels for the first time using gravity.
With the foundation of Glatt Air Techniques in Ramsey in 1973, the USA becomes the sales and service center for North America. With the local presence and the technology center, that was installed later, the overseas customer also had the opportunity to test and continuously optimize Glatt’s innovative products and process technologies on site.
More branches follow those in neighboring Switzerland and in the US. Glatt establishes a sales and service center for the French market in Dijon in 1983. A few years later, sales and service branches follow in the English town of Broughton Astley for the British and Irish markets, as well as in the Danish Kastrup for the Scandinavian market.
1971 - 1988
1989 - 1992
New management & new areas of business
1990: Werner Glatt’s son-in-law, Reinhard Nowak, assumes management of the company. New subsidiaries and areas of business expand the company consortium:
1990: Glatt Ingenieurtechnik in Weimar
1991: Glatt Systemtechnik in Dresden.
In 1990, Werner Glatt transferred the excecutive management of Glatt GmbH to his son-in-law, Reinhard Nowak. Today, Reinhard Nowak is the president of Glatt BmbH in Binzen and other subsidiaries.
After the fall of the GDR, Reinhard Nowak soon took advantage of the opportunities that emerged from the new developments in Germany by integrating additional skills from experts residing there into the company. After acquiring two companies, Glatt Ingenieurtechnik was christened in Weimar in 1990, while Glatt Systemtechnik was christened in Dresden in 1991. The newly integrated companies were completely renovated and equipped with the most modern systems.
Now, a technology center for continuous fluidized bed processing and turn-key factory planning is part of the consortium through Glatt Ingenieurtechnik. The strategic integration of new areas of business expanded the Glatt competence in fluidized bed technology and material handling with new markets in the food and feed processing and fine chemicals industries.
Today, Glatt Ingenieurtechnik is a strong pillar within the company group. With technical innovations, such as in biotechnology, and the innovative development and adaption of time-proven processes and devices, the Glatt company is continuing its pioneering direction.
Glatt Systemtechnik took over the task of production site for product handling systems and logistic center for material flow. With this, the consortium gained additional capacity and a dynamic subsidiary for implementing its own designs. The Dresdner subsidiary equips the pharmaceutical industry with complete processes in solids fabrication in collaboration with the production sites in Binzen and Pratteln.
1993 - 2013
New Innovation Highlights
1995: Glatt develops SuperClean® (SC) technology for process equipment. This innovative clean-in-place concept allowed
one or several linked process machines to operate in a completely closed clean-in-place environment for the very first time.1999: Introduction of CPS Direct Pelletization technology, which enables the manufacture of highly potent pellets.
2000: Launch of MicroPx-technology, which allows the continuous manufacture of micropellets in a direct pelletization process.
2000: Glatt PRO machine concept. Complete granulation lines and process transfer ducts are designed for 12 bar pressure shock resistance.
2003: Glatt plans and erects a factory in Russia for the manufacture of infusion solutions, the first pharmaceutical production facility in the country which conforms to EU GMP standards.
2004: Development of the ProCell range, based on spouted bed technology, for the safe handling of temperature-sensitive or substances which do not fluidize easily.
2007: Glatt plans and erects a machine for the continuous spray granulation of an API for an X-ray contrast agent.
2011: Glatt delivers a large-scale GFC 2200 machine for continuous additive coating with a capacity of several tonnes per hour to Scandinavia. This is Glatt’s biggest machine for continuous processing to date.
2013: Glatt develops the MODCOS system, which allows existing batch-processing machines to perform continuous process.
1993 - 2013
2000 - 2008
Expanding eastward
2000: Glatt establishes a representation office in Moscow, Russia, to provide local customer support in the CIS market for all Glatt products and services.
2006: Glatt establishes a branch office in Moscow, Russia. Taking the step from representation to branch office strengthens Glatt’s commercial capability and enables new business opportunities in the CIS market for the entire Glatt Group. and enables new business opportunities in the CIS market for the entire Glatt Group.
2008: Glatt establishes a branch office in New Delhi, India, for its Process & Plant Engineering area of expertise. This is in order to address the increasing interests in engineering services and projects in that region.
2011 – 2013
New partners & new locations
2011: Member of the Excellence United Strategic Alliance network
2013: Founding of Glatt Systems Private Limited, India
2011 Glatt becomes a member of the Excellence United Strategic Alliance, a network of independently owned family companies for special machinery, each with leading market positions in their respective segment. The network covers all levels of the added value chain for customers in the pharmaceutical, medical and processing industry. The unique network provides bundled know-how, a high level of technical competence, worldwide service and international project management to its customers.
2013 Glatt founds its first production plant on the Indian subcontinent. At the new location in Pune, process systems and product handling systems are manufactured. A sales and service organization in Mumbai services the Indian market with Glatt products and services.
2011 – 2013
25. August 2014
The end of an era
On August 25th, 2014 Werner Glatt, founder of the Glatt Group, passed away at the proud age of 92 years.
He was an extraordinary man, an extraordinary entrepreneurial personality.
In 1945, the pioneer in Fluidized Bed Technology laid the foundation for the internationally active family run business.
Memories of Werner Glatt will be perpetuated by the machines in use all over the world which bear his name.
2016
Glatt. Present and future.
Glatt is a full-service provider and offers integrated solutions along the entire value chain. From primary particle production, through refinement, to the finished tablet. The internationally active family-owned company employs around 3,000 people in 15 branches worldwide.
In 2016, Glatt is opening a pharmaceutical engineering branch in Dresden. The strength of the Dresden pharma team is the design of biotechnology and active ingredient plants, including turnkey factories. The engineers are active in a segment mastered by few: the planning of plants for the production of pharmaceutical and biotechnological active ingredients, for example vaccines, anti-cancer drugs, anti-diabetic preparations, and the processing of blood plasma into therapeutics.
In October 2016, Glatt opens the Glatt Innovation Center at its new site in Weil am Rhein – Haltingen. Here, for the first time, customers have the opportunity to carry out process and product optimization using state-of-the-art batch and continuous systems as well as analysis technology. Both laboratory and process facilities are available to customers for their trials.
2016
2017
Expansion of the service portfolio
In September 2017, Glatt opens the new Pharma Logistic Center in Entenbad in Lörrach. The “Logistic Services” business line expands the Glatt Pharmaceutical Services portfolio to include the service segments of temperature-controlled warehousing in all temperature ranges (15-25°C, 2-8°C, -25°C and -80°C). Additional services are also offered: Cross-docking services, wholesale logistics for market products, and the distribution organization of clinical samples.
2021
The third generation
Connected to tradition, committed to the future.
The third generation of the family has been active in the company for several years. Thus, the company remains true to its tradition and sets the course for a further successful future with the “Group Executive Committee”. With the constant expansion of its diverse service portfolio, the Glatt Group is undergoing a dynamic process of change. However, the project and solution-oriented corporate culture will continue to ensure the innovative spirit and reliability of the internationally active full-service provider in the future.
2021
