Manufacturer of precision laboratory glass and pharmaceutical primary packaging made of borosilicate glass 3.3 at 14 locations worldwide.
DWK Life Sciences GmbH
Wertheim · Mainz · Holzminden · Meiningen · Pula · Stoke-on-Trent · Millville · Vineland · Rockwood · Querétaro · Bangalore · Bangarpet (GoldTown) · Beijing · ShanghaiNew on Amplifa
DWK Life Sciences – Laboratory Glass and Pharmaceutical Primary Packaging Made of Borosilicate Glass 3.3
DWK Life Sciences is a globally active manufacturer of laboratory glass, primary packaging for pharma and diagnostics, and technical and consumer glass. The portfolio comprises around 30,000 products such as laboratory bottles, vials, beakers, flasks, graduated glasses, desiccators, caps & closures – under the DURAN®, WHEATON® and KIMBLE® brands. Products are made predominantly from borosilicate glass 3.3 (DURAN), supplemented by PTFE, silicone, phenolic plastic, polyacetal, stainless steel closure caps and recycled glass (up to 70% share). Manufacturing includes glass melting and hot forming (blowing, pressing, mouth blowing, tubular vial production), converting/post-processing, particulate cleaning (RTP), depyrogenation (RTS), sterilization (RTU), barcoding/labeling and clean room packaging to ISO 14644-1 Class 8. Customers come from pharmaceutical and diagnostic packaging, life science research, laboratory supplies, industrial and technical glass including OEM applications. The group headquarters is DWK Life Sciences GmbH in Wertheim (Baden-Württemberg); in total the company operates with around 1,700 employees at 14 locations in the USA, Mexico, Europe and Asia, including four German plants in Wertheim, Mainz, Holzminden and Meiningen. Services include DMF support.
- Site
- Wertheim
- Processes
- Glass production / melting (melting & hot forming), Mouth blowing of hollow glass, Machine blowing of hollow glass, Pressing of glass (forming), Coloring of glass, Converting / manipulation (post-processing of glass), Particulate Cleaning (USP <788> / Ph. Eur. 2.9.19, Ready-to-Process), Depyrogenation (USP <85> / Ph. Eur. 2.6.14, Ready-to-Sterilize)
- Materials
- Borosilicate glass 3.3 (DURAN), Borosilicate glass (pharma vials), PTFE, Silicone (septa, closures), Stainless steel (2-, 3-, 4-port GL 45 connector caps), Phenolic plastic (Black Phenolic Screw Thread Caps), Polyacetal (joint clamps), Recycled glass (up to 70% share)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 15378, ISO 17025, ISO 50001, ISO 14644-1 (Clean Room Packaging, ISO Class 8), ISO 45001, EcoVadis Silver Medal
- Founded
- 1888 (WHEA
- Employees
- ~1700
- Industries
- Pharmaceutical & diagnostics packaging, Life science research, Laboratory supplies, Industrial & technical glass, Consumer glassware
- 01
Glass melting & hot forming (blowing, pressing, tubular production)
- 02
Converting / post-processing of glass
- 03
Particulate Cleaning (RTP)
- 04
Depyrogenation (RTS)
- 05
Sterilization (RTU)
- 06
Barcoding & Labeling
- 07
Ready-to-Use packaging / Packaging & Services
- 08
Logistics/Distribution
- 09
DMF support
Materials and Processes
Borosilicate glass 3.3 (DURAN)
Base material for laboratory glass and primary packaging; hydrolytic resistance, purity and thermal shock resistance.
Borosilicate glass (pharma vials)
Tubular production of vials and primary packaging to ISO 15378.
Recycled glass
Up to 70% share of recycled glass in the melt to reduce CO2 emissions.
PTFE
Sealing material bonded with silicone for septa in closures.
Silicone (septa)
Septa material with PTFE facing for closures on vials and bottles.
Phenolic plastic (Black Phenolic Screw Thread Caps)
Closure caps for laboratory glass in black and PTFE-faced rubber.
Polyacetal (joint clamps)
Clamp connectors for laboratory glass ground-glass and ball joints in eight colors.
Stainless steel
Autoclavable 2-, 3-, 4-port GL 45 connector caps and closure systems for bottles 100–20,000 ml.
Products and Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass production / melting (melting & hot forming)Casting | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3 (DURAN) |
| Mouth blowing of hollow glassCasting | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3 |
| Machine blowing of hollow glassCasting | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3 |
| Pressing of glass (forming)Casting | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3 |
| Coloring of glassCasting | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3 |
| Converting / manipulation (post-processing of glass)Surface | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3, Plastic |
| Particulate Cleaning (USP <788> / Ph. Eur. 2.9.19, Ready-to-Process)Surface | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3 |
| Depyrogenation (USP <85> / Ph. Eur. 2.6.14, Ready-to-Sterilize)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3 |
| Sterilization (USP <71> / Ph. Eur. 2.6.1, Ready-to-Use)Surface | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3 |
| Barcoding, Labeling & MarkingAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Customization / Custom Glass Shop (special glass fabrication, component modifications)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass 3.3 |
| Tube vials / primary packaging from glass tubing (tubular manufacturing, ISO 15378)Casting | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass |
| Clean room packaging (ISO class 8)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Borosilicate glass |
| 100% visual camera inspection (testing)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
All sites operate under an integrated management system for quality, occupational safety, energy and environment (ISO 9001, 13485, 14001, 15378, 17025, 50001, 45001). Tubular production lines use Cpk statistics and 100% visual camera inspection of every vial; clean room packaging is performed to ISO 14644-1 Class 8.
| Evidence | Company |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| ISO 14001 | |
| ISO 13485 | |
| ISO 15378 | |
| ISO 17025 | |
| ISO 50001 |
History
- 1887
Otto Schott invents borosilicate glass 3.3
- 1888
Dr. Theodore Corson Wheaton founds T.C. Wheaton Co. for glass products for medical and scientific applications
- 1901
Evan Kimble founds KIMBLE Glass in Chicago
- 2005
DURAN Group is formed from the laboratory glass spin-off of SCHOTT
- 2011
Acquisition of SciLabware (UK)
- 2014
One Equity Partners acquires the DURAN Group
- 2015
Acquisition of WHEATON Industries (USA)
- 2016
Acquisition of KIMBLE Chase (USA)
- 2017
Global alignment under DWK Life Sciences with the brands DURAN®, WHEATON® and KIMBLE®
- 2020
Start of operations of DWK Life Sciences (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.; acquisition of pharmaceutical vial manufacturer Müller + Müller
- 2023
Acquisition of Assem-Pak | Aluseal (USA)
- 2026
EcoVadis Silver Medal; extension of ISO 14001 certification to additional sites