Manufacturer of freeze drying systems, loading/unloading systems and freeze/thaw equipment for pharma and biotech
HOF Sonderanlagenbau GmbH
Lohra (Headquarters) · Gladenbach-MornshausenNew on Amplifa
About HOF Sonderanlagenbau
HOF Sonderanlagenbau GmbH, headquartered in Lohra (Central Hesse), has specialized for over 30 years in freeze drying systems, loading and unloading systems, and freeze-thaw equipment (Freeze-Thaw Units). The company develops, designs and manufactures custom plant solutions for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide. In addition to its core products, HOF offers debottling systems, automation and software, qualification, refrigeration technology with natural refrigerants, and the HOF Massanalyser – a mass spectrometer for quality monitoring of freeze drying systems (silicone oil detection, moisture monitoring, leak testing). The value chain covers development, engineering, manufacturing, quality and project management; the HOF Service+ division ensures maintenance, training and spare parts supply. The owner-managed company has been owned by the Hof family for decades and is today led in its second generation by Dr. Alexander Hof. In addition to its headquarters at Ludwig-Rinn-Str. 1-3 in Lohra, HOF maintains a second site in Gladenbach-Mornshausen.
- Site
- Lohra
- Processes
- Freeze drying systems, Loading and unloading systems (feeding/unloading systems), Freeze-Thaw Units (FTU, freezing/thawing systems), Debottling systems, Refrigeration technology (including natural refrigerants, liquid nitrogen, HOF, HOF Massanalyser – mass spectrometry for process monitoring (silicone oil detection,, Helium leak testing (integrated in the system), Development, engineering, manufacturing, quality management, project management
- Materials
- Cold air machine (air as refrigerant), Liquid nitrogen, Hydrocarbons (ethane, propene), Mass spectrometry (HOF Massanalyser), Automation and software
- Industries
- Pharmaceutical industry, Biotechnology
- 01
Development and research
- 02
Engineering and process development
- 03
Mechanical engineering and layout
- 04
Manufacturing
- 05
Quality management
- 06
Qualification and commissioning
- 07
Service and maintenance (HOF Service+)
Processes & Technologies
Cold air machine (air as refrigerant)
Innovative refrigeration technology that uses ambient air as refrigerant instead of climate-harmful F-gases.
Liquid nitrogen
Natural refrigerant solution for stable freezing and drying processes.
Hydrocarbons (ethane, propene)
Natural refrigerants as an alternative to R404A/R507A in plant refrigeration technology.
Mass spectrometry (HOF Massanalyser)
Process monitoring with silicone oil detection, moisture monitoring and integrated helium leak test.
Automation and software
Process control, visualization and batch-oriented documentation for pharma-compliant workflows.
Sites
Lohra
DEHeadquarters
- Freeze drying system manufacturing
- Engineering
- Technical center
Gladenbach-Mornshausen
DESite
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze drying systemsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Loading and unloading systems (feeding/unloading systems)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Freeze-Thaw Units (FTU, freezing/thawing systems)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Debottling systemsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Refrigeration technology (including natural refrigerants, liquid nitrogen, HOFEngineering | – | – | – | – | Nitrogen (liquid), Hydrocarbons (ethane, propene), Air |
| HOF Massanalyser – mass spectrometry for process monitoring (silicone oil detection,Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Helium leak testing (integrated in the system)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Development, engineering, manufacturing, quality management, project managementEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Service (maintenance, training, spare parts – HOF Service+)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Automation and software (process control, visualization, batch documentation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
5 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze drying system | HOF Sonderanlagenbau | – | – | – | Lohra / Gladenbach-Mornshausen |
| Loading and unloading system | HOF Sonderanlagenbau | – | – | – | Lohra / Gladenbach-Mornshausen |
| Freeze-Thaw Unit (FTU) | HOF Sonderanlagenbau | – | – | – | Lohra / Gladenbach-Mornshausen |
| Cold air machine (air as refrigerant) | HOF Sonderanlagenbau HOF CryoBlizzard | – | – | – | Lohra / Gladenbach-Mornshausen |
| Mass spectrometer | HOF Sonderanlagenbau HOF Massanalyser | – | – | – | Lohra / Gladenbach-Mornshausen |
Additional services
History
Over 30 years as a specialist in freeze drying systems, loading/unloading systems and freeze/thaw equipment; owned for several decades by Hans-Georg Hof from Central Hesse, today run in its second generation by Managing Director Dr. Alexander Hof.