04.01.02
Schaefer Technologies: Making Its Mark
Schaefer Technologies, Indianapolis, IN, is a custom manufacturer and supplier of equipment to the pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals market. The company was formed in 1995 to provide sales, marketing and technical support to companies that purchased equipment manufactured by its parent company Mitchum-Schaefer, which was founded in 1932.
Mitchum-Schaefer got its beginnings in the pharmaceutical market because of its association with Eli Lilly, according to president Kevin Schaefer, who discussed the company’s timeline. “The company was orignially located down the road from Eli Lilly. As a result of the location and the quality workmanship we provided, we started to do a lot of contract manufacturing for its former capsules and capsule filling machinery division,” he explained. “Eventually Eli Lilly sold the capsule and capsule machinery division to Shionogi Qualicaps, a Japan-based company. At that point we continued to make machinery for Shionogi but also started to become increasingly involved in the sales, marketing and technical support of the machinery and that is when Schaefer Technologies came into existence.” At first the rights to Eli Lilly’s capsule filling machinery were sold to Shionogi but in October of 2000 Schaefer purchased some of the licenses for the equipment from Shionogi. “We always made the equipment but we never had the rights to it,” said Mr. Schaefer.
As for the nutraceuticals market, the company became involved in this area in 1994, dealing with several different companies both large and small. “Our involvement in this industry was just a natural evolution,” Mr. Schaefer said, adding, “Currently 60% of our business is dedicated to nutraceuticals, which I think will hold steady into the future.”
In terms of its specific offerings to the nutraceuticals industry, Schaefer supplies a range of equipment including machinery for two piece hard gelatin encapsulation and sealing of capsules (STI Model 8s, STI Model 10, EXC-40F, EXC-100F and Lab Top Sealer).
Mr. Schaefer claims the company is one of the few American-based manufacturers of equipment for the nutraceuticals market. This is an advantage, Mr. Schaefer said, because it allows the company to serve its customers on a timely basis. In addition to its domestic roots, however, the company has also expanded internationally. It currently has representatives in the U.K.—Glenvale Packaging, Austria—Wick Machinery and Canada—Advanced Technology Group.
Working with mostly pharmaceutical companies during its long history, Mr. Schaefer said, gives the company an edge when it comes to quality control. “We are used to dealing with GMPs and strict quality control standards. The major hurdles facing the nutraceuticals industry right now are quality control issues, which have already been developed in the pharmaceutical market.” Despite quality control issues, however, Mr. Schaefer said after a slow year in 2001, the market is starting to pick up. “Overall I think the industry is in good shape as we move forward and our relationship with this industry remains positive,” he said.—R.M.
Schaefer Technologies
4251 N. Shadeland Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46226
Telephone: 317-546-4081; 800-435-7174
Fax: 317-546-4095
E-mail: kjs@indy.net
Website: www.schaefer-technologies.com