GERTEIS® Maschinen + Processengineering AG
Roller Compaction & Dry Granulation Systems
The Market Leader in Pharmaceutical Dry Granulation
Founded in 1986 in Jona, Switzerland, Gerteis Maschinen + Processengineering AG has grown from a one-man enterprise into the global market leader for pharmaceutical roller compaction equipment. Roughly 95% of Gerteis installations serve the pharmaceutical industry, with the balance in food, nutraceuticals, and fine chemicals.
Gerteis builds two complementary roller-compactor product lines: the PACTOR® series, engineered for maximum flexibility and versatility with difficult products, and the POLYGRAN® series, which delivers the same core dry-granulation know-how in a simpler, more accessible package. Together, the range covers everything from 10-gram feasibility trials to 400 kg/h commercial production.
MHS Pharma represents Gerteis across the Northeast United States, providing direct access to the full equipment line alongside hands-on application guidance and project support.
Why Gerteis
Floating Gap Control
Gerteis roller compactors use a floating gap design where the distance between rolls adjusts automatically to maintain constant applied force. This keeps ribbon density consistent regardless of powder supply variation. Fixed-gap compactors allow force to fluctuate with feed, producing inconsistent ribbon and granule quality.
Inline Density Control (PAT)
Gerteis recently launched an Inline Density Control add-on for the PACTOR® series that measures ribbon density in real time and automatically adjusts press force to hold the target density. All process-critical parameters (force, gap, roll speed) are measured, calibrated, and validated on-line, supporting PAT and Quality by Design (QbD) requirements.
Fastest Scale-Up Path
The Mini-Pactor® and Macro-Pactor® share harmonized PACTOR® geometry with identical process parameters. Scale-up from lab (2.5 cm rolls) to production (10 cm rolls) delivers a 4× throughput increase at the same force, gap, and speed settings — no re-validation surprises. Combined with roll-speed optimization, overall scale-up factors of 600–2,400× are achievable.
Full Containment Ladder
The PACTOR® range covers every containment tier: standard machines achieve <3 µg/m³ out of the box, an advanced OEL design option reaches <1 µg/m³ (OEB 4) without an isolator, and the Ultra-Pactor® delivers ultra-high containment at <0.1 µg/m³ (OEB 5) via an integrated isolator. All models support split butterfly valves on feed and discharge for fully contained line integration.
Applications
Dry granulation with Gerteis equipment handles a broad range of pharmaceutical solid dose applications — it is not limited to moisture- or heat-sensitive products:
- High-potency compound processing (HPAPI / OEB 3–5), including oncology
- Batch and continuous manufacturing for tablets, capsules, sachets, and bulk granulates
- Proprietary and generic drug products, blockbuster and orphan drugs
- Immediate-release, sustained-release, and modified-release formulations
- High and low drug-load formulations, API combinations
- Process development, scale-up studies, and tech transfer at CDMOs
Equipment Range
PACTOR® Series
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MINI-PACTOR® Lab-scale premium roller compactor for formulation development, pilot projects, and small-scale production. Processes from as little as 10 g, with direct scale-up correlation to the Macro-Pactor® using identical process settings. Up to 100 kg/h · 1–20 kN/cm · 1–6 mm gap · 1,200 kg · Standard OEL <3 µg/m³ · Containment to OEB 4 (<1 µg/m³) available |
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MACRO-PACTOR® Flagship production-scale roller compactor for development through full-scale manufacturing. Up to 400 kg/h · 1–20 kN/cm · 1–6 mm gap · 1,700 kg · Standard OEL <3 µg/m³ · Containment to OEB 4 (<1 µg/m³) available · C variant: 2,000 kg |
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ULTRA-PACTOR® Ultra-high containment production roller compactor with a purpose-built integrated isolator. Achieves OEB 5 containment at <0.1 µg/m³ while maintaining Macro-Pactor®-class throughput. Includes Rapid Transfer Port, split butterfly valve integration, and fully automated WIP/CIP. Up to 400 kg/h · 1–20 kN/cm · 1–6 mm gap · 2,300 kg · OEB 5 (<0.1 µg/m³) |
POLYGRAN® Series
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MINI-POLYGRAN® Gerteis’ smallest roller compactor, balancing performance with laboratory flexibility. Processes from as little as 10 g with fast maintenance thanks to simplified POLYGRAN® parts assembly. Wheeled subframe allows convenient placement within the lab. Up to 50 kg/h · 1–15 kN/cm · 1–4 mm gap · 500 kg |
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POLYGRAN® Production-scale roller compactor with simplified handling and cleverly engineered parts assembly for effortless maintenance. Same core press-roller alignment and dry-granulation know-how as the PACTOR® line. Up to 300 kg/h · 1–15 kN/cm · 2–5 mm gap · 1,200 kg · 21 CFR Part 11 compliant HMI |
Laboratory Tools
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Small Scale Mill Manually operated laboratory milling tool engineered to replicate the grinding principles of the PACTOR® line at very small scale. University studies confirmed that the Small Scale Mill reproduces production-scale particle size distributions, making it ideal for early-phase R&D when API is scarce or expensive, or when working with compaction simulators. 5–50 g per pass · Interchangeable screens · Benchtop · Pharma-compliant materials |
MHS Pharma — Northeast US Representative
MHS Pharma provides direct technical representation for Gerteis across the Northeast United States. We work with pharmaceutical manufacturers, CDMOs, and development organizations at every stage — from initial feasibility through commercial installation and ongoing support.
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