Sharp invests $100M to boost pharma packaging, manufacturing in US and Europe

Sharp Services, headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania, announced a $100 million investment to expand capacity and capabilities across its pharmaceutical packaging, clinical trial services, and sterile manufacturing network. The company operates six GMP facilities in the U.S. and three in Europe.

The investment will add new injectable capacity in the U.S. and Europe to meet demand for pre-filled syringes and autoinjector packaging. Sharp’s Netherlands site will increase GMP production capacity for vial labeling, syringe assembly and injectables packaging, while its Belgium facility is expanding warehouse space with added cold-chain and ambient storage, according to the announcement.

In Allentown, Sharp said it plans to install new pre-filled syringe and vial labeling lines, high-speed cartoners, and automated pouch filling lines for powder and oral solid dose products. These upgrades follow a $20 million investment at its Macungie, Pennsylvania site for autoinjector and pen assembly services.

Sharp’s Bethlehem, Pennsylvania site is adding new temperature-controlled rooms, capsule filling machines, and blister lines, which are expected to be operational by the end of 2025. The company also plans a $28 million expansion at its sterile manufacturing facility in Lee, Massachusetts, including a fourth isolator-based sterile filling line with lyophilization capability.

“These multi-site investments at Sharp reflect our ongoing commitment to support the evolving needs of our pharma and biopharma clients. We are strengthening our service offerings across our entire network to provide more capacity, new capabilities and greater efficiency,” CEO Kevin Orfan said in a statement.