RICHMOND, Va., May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Chesapeake Corporation's (NYSE: CSK) manufacturing plant in Kunshan, China recently became the first facility in China to receive PS9000:2001 certification after meeting requirements for developing and implementing a quality management system for producing printed pharmaceutical packaging.
"We take a consistent, common approach to quality throughout our global pharmaceutical packaging network," said Andrew J. Kohut, Chesapeake president & chief executive officer. "As a result, we were able to share information and expertise, which helped our new Kunshan plant gain certification in a very timely manner even though the facility just began operations in late 2007. We are especially proud to have the first PS9000:2001 certified plant in China."
The guidelines for PS9000:2001 certification were developed by the Pharmaceutical Quality Group of the Institute of Quality Assurance to provide a standardized baseline for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and to offer a framework of the best practices to be used within the pharmaceutical packaging supply industry. PS9000:2001 certification combines the principles of ISO 9001:2000 with the GMP requirements endorsed by the pharmaceutical industry to create specific quality guidelines for printed pharmaceutical packaging materials.
The Kunshan plant recently joined Chesapeake's global network of pharmaceutical packaging plants, which supply many of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. The new plant offers design services and houses state-of-the-art equipment for digital plate making, digital label printing, high-gloss varnishing, foil stamping and laminating. The 36,000-square-foot facility complements Chesapeake's other plant in Kunshan, which manufactures plastic bottles for the pharmaceutical market, by adding the production of paper-based packaging for domestic and multinational customers.
Chesapeake Corporation protects and promotes the world's great brands as a leading international supplier of value-added specialty paperboard and plastic packaging. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., the company is one of Europe's premier suppliers of folding cartons, leaflets and labels, as well as plastic packaging for niche markets. Chesapeake has 45 locations in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia and employs approximately 5,400 people worldwide.
SOURCE Chesapeake Corporation
