Sharp to expand European injectable packaging footprint with new investments

NETHERLANDS – Pharmaceutical packaging specialist Sharp has committed more than €20m (US$23.4m) to expand its European operations, responding to rising demand for injectable drug products across the EU market.

The investment will be directed towards upgrading Sharp’s facilities in Hamont-Achel, Belgium, and Heerenveen, the Netherlands, with a focus on strengthening capabilities for the assembly, labelling, packaging and cold storage of injectable formats.

These include autoinjectors, pre-filled syringes, pen devices and vials, which continue to see growing uptake driven by biologics, self-administration therapies and chronic disease management.

At the Hamont-Achel site, Sharp plans to increase cold-chain warehouse capacity fourfold while doubling ambient storage space.

The facility will also receive a new syringe assembly and blister packaging suite, alongside further enhancements to device assembly and packaging operations.

To improve efficiency and consistency on adjacent packaging lines for pre-filled syringes and autoinjectors, the company has introduced collaborative robot technology.

In parallel, Sharp is advancing its sustainability agenda at the Belgian site with the installation of a new solar-powered carport.

Once fully commissioned by mid-2026, the system is expected to supply around 50% of the facility’s electricity requirements from renewable sources, supporting customers’ environmental targets alongside operational growth.

Sharp’s Heerenveen facility in the Netherlands will see an expansion of its GMP production capabilities through the addition of two Grade D packaging suites.

These upgrades are intended to support upcoming syringe assembly and packaging programs, as well as increased vial packaging capacity planned for 2026.

Commenting on the investment, Robert O’Beirn, managing director of Sharp Clinical and Sharp Europe, said the company’s European facilities have a long-established reputation for delivering complex packaging services for injectable drug formats.

He added that the investment represents a significant increase in Sharp’s capacity to support pharmaceutical clients “as sustainably as possible” with injectable drug launches across the EU.

Lee site expansion

The European expansion follows a recently announced US$28m investment at Sharp’s Lee, Massachusetts site in the US.

That project will more than double the facility’s filling capacity through the installation of a fully automated IMA Life isolated filling line for ready-to-use vials, incorporating advanced robotics, non-destructive weight checks and a high-performance lyophiliser.

Together, the European and US investments form part of a broader capital expenditure program across Sharp Services’ global network, announced in October, aimed at meeting growing demand for high-quality, compliant and scalable injectable packaging and fill-finish solutions.

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