Emerson to provide automation solution for Lonza large scale biopharmaceutical plant
Automation engineering, software development, and PlantWeb digital plant architecture included in solution valued at more than $7 million.
| |
 |
| Lonza Biologics is expanding its facility in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA. |
 |
AUSTIN, TEXAS. (31 March 2003) — Emerson Process Management, a business of Emerson (NYSE:EMR), announced today that it is supplying an automation solution valued at greater than $7 million for the Lonza Biologics biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility under construction in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Lonza Biologics, a subsidiary of the Lonza Group Ltd. of Switzerland, is the leading contract manufacturer of therapeutic proteins and monoclonal antibodies from mammalian cell culture, the essential ingredients for tomorrow's life-saving medicines. Lonza Group is a leading supplier of active chemical ingredients, intermediates, and biotechnology solutions to the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries.
Emerson is providing digital automation systems, instrumentation, valves, and engineering services for the 285,000 square foot facility that will house three 20,000-liter bioreactor systems, providing four times the production capacity of the existing plant that has operated at the site since 1997. The $207 million plant is expected to be fully operational by early summer 2004.
"This is the largest single capital investment undertaken by Lonza in its one hundred year history, and we're relying heavily on Emerson's automation expertise," Lonza Project Director John Machulski said. "Emerson's advanced technology provides the precise control that is critical for these reactors, enabling us to streamline our large batch processes and minimize chances for operator error."
Emerson's DeltaV digital automation system will deliver advanced batch automation as part of the PlantWeb digital plant architecture. FOUNDATION fieldbus technology will network Emerson's intelligent field devices with AMS predictive maintenance software within the DeltaV system. Emerson's AMS allows easy configuration of smart devices and quick access to process and device diagnostics to aid in plant efficiency. The Audit Trail within AMS also provides automated documentation to help meet federal regulatory requirements of 21 CFR Part 11. Emerson devices supplied include Fisher® and Baumann™ digital valves featuring FIELDVUE® controllers; Rosemount® pressure, flow, level, and temperature instruments; Micro Motion® Coriolis flowmeters; and Rosemount Analytical analyzers. Emerson will include DeviceNet and Profibus DP technologies in the solution as needed for discrete device interface.
Engineering design, documentation, and site testing is being done by 18 Emerson engineers working with Lonza personnel in software development and system configuration. The bulk of the programming is being done by Emerson's Life Sciences industry center headquartered in St Louis, and by two of Emerson's local business partners — PROCONEX of Philadelphia, and New England Controls of Mansfield, Massachusetts.
Michael Pelletier, project manager for control and instrumentation, said Lonza's goals for the automation solution are to provide a high degree of plant efficiency, ease of operation, prevention of operator error, and reduced installation and maintenance costs.
"We anticipate significant savings in our time-to-calibrate field instruments," he said. "Regulatory requirements demand frequent calibration of the instruments, and this could overload our technical maintenance staff. We expect the Calibration Assistant feature of the AMS software to reduce the time required for periodic instrument calibration and help to reduce our overall maintenance budget."
"Lonza Biologics is a quality pharmaceuticals manufacturer and we are very pleased at being selected for the automation role that helps them deliver efficiency and value from their major manufacturing expansion," said John Berra, president of Emerson Process Management. "We were fortunate enough to have automated their current facility some 10 years ago; it's always very satisfying to again be chosen based on a thorough review of past performance, and a side-by-side comparison with the best technologies and services of today. We are confident, committed, and already under way toward meeting Lonza Biologics' objectives and vision."
About Lonza
Lonza Biologics Inc. of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a subsidiary of Lonza Group Ltd., a Life Sciences driven chemical company headquartered in Switzerland. Lonza Group operates 18 production and R&D facilities in 8 countries and employs 6,200 persons worldwide. It is a leading supplier of active chemical ingredients, intermediates, and biotechnology solutions to the pharmaceutical and agrichemical industries.
|
|
