History

Quality starting in 1923

Today the picture at ROFRA is of state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, integrated into a family firm with rich traditions.ROFRA’s customers come from the pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industry, from the food industry, from both Germany and abroad. They all appreciate ROFRA’s many decades of experience in developing, producing and distributing primary packaging made of tubular glass.

1923

1923 saw the founding of Robert Franke’s glassware factory, in which the founder created apparatus to contain chemicals for industry and medicine, and specialist surgical equipment.

1963

As the founder passed the management of his company into the hands of his sons Wolfgang and Manfred, the status changed to KG and the name Robert Franke was compressed into ROFRA.At this time the first glass hair sprays and pocket-sized spray units were manufactured and assembled.

1968

1968 saw the first automatic glass-working machine brought into use.

1969

Another first came in 1969: the company invested in flat rolling machines to enable pill vials to be produced automatically.

1972

1972 was the year in which ROFRA KG was nationalised.The land on which the factory stood remained in the possession of the family.Wolfgang and Manfred Franke were allowed to continue managing the company.

1973-1990

In the years 1973 to 1990, there were a number of re-organisations: the names given to the company were VEB Glasverarbeitung, then GLAVA Cursdorf, then Glasverarbeitung Neuhaus BT Cursdorf.However, the changes of name did not alter the consistency of the product range.

Glass hairsprays remained a very popular product, as did powder sprays.

Even more pill vials and convex-based vials were produced for the pharmaceuticals industry.Miniature ampoules for the army, and phials to contain poultry vaccinations, were included in the range.

1990

1990 saw the return of the company to private ownership and the founding of ROFRA GmbH.

1991

Wolfgang Franke now restructured the company, appointing his daughter Heide-Marie Manthey and her husband Hans-Werner Manthey as managers under his managing directorship.

1992

New pharmaceutical guidelines were followed by installing state-of-the-art machinery to produce vials in tubular glass.

1993-1996

In these years, four further, state-of-the-art, computer-assisted manufacturing lines were installed.

1997

1997 saw the expansion of the factory.A new storage area was built and there was further investment in new machinery.

1998

In 1998, both raw materials and the finished product acquired new storage space.

1998-2001

Productivity was further increased by investment in automatic machinery.

31.12.2001

On the last day of 2001, Wolfgang Franke was able to take well-earned retirement.

01.01.2002

With the New Year, his son-in-law Hans-Werner Manthey became the Managing Director.

2003

2003 saw the closure of the flat rolling section and the re-organisation of the factory to accommodate the manufacture of sample containers (to hold 1 to 6 ml), required by the conventional and luxury food industry and for cosmetics.

2004-2006

Considerable extension of capacity – more investment in the machines and technology for pharmaceutical vials, with imaging and automatic measurement for quality assurance.

2007

Since 2007 ROFRA GmbH has been managed by Heide-Marie Manthey, granddaughter of  the founder.

What ROFRA stands for

ROFRA’s forte is its great flexibility as a family firm. The company is able to manufacture a wide range of products and find individual packaging solutions for its customers worldwide.

Three generations have contributed to ROFRA’s glass processing over the years, always keeping up with the latest technical developments, gradually increasing the number of staff and ensuring that all the skills of glass-making are constantly available to its customers.

highest quality

reliable service

efficient realisation of product ideas

straightforward approach (right through from consultation to supply)

fixed prices (to enable the customer to plan and calculate with confidence)

short lead times, swift processing of projects

flexible manufacturing methods

value for money (reasonable quotations, stable prices)

Primary packaging is where ROFRA’s expertise lies. The customer can bring the product idea and rely on its high-quality execution.

At ROFRA, progress and tradition go hand in hand.

Be inspired by ROFRA’s range of possibilities.

Facts and figures

ROFRA turns out approximately 250 million vials a year, doing so with a qualified staff of 50, working in three shifts.The range is increased on average by 5 % each year.

There are four production departments:

Manufacture of primary packaging materials (tubular glass), nominal contents between 6 and 50ml – for the pharmaceutical and food industries

Miniature glass bottle production (for perfume or samples), nominal contents between 1 and 6 ml

Print preparation and printing department

Glass-blowing workshop, where glass apparatus are made for chemical and pharmaceutical use

The installation of state-of-the-art machinery with optoelectronic monitoring has enabled ROFRA to run the production process with high efficiency and rapid reflection of customer wishes.

In the workshop, the skills are those of traditional glass-blowing.The workers constructing the glass apparatus know their trade so well that the expression of customers’ wishes is assured.

Whether made by hand or by machine, all ROFRA’s products meet the same high standards of quality.The company has operated a quality management system since 1994.

Company policies

At the centre of all ROFRA’s policies is the product quality, the constant focus on customer requirements, and lasting customer satisfaction.

Quality

It is by using the best of raw materials that primary packaging materials can be produced in highest quality.

The quality management system at ROFRA is at the heart of the company and runs with parameters that are always met, in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001-2008.

Customer satisfaction

Customer surveys are carried out regularly and show that ROFRA’s customers appreciate:

highest quality, excellent service

innovative skills, creativity, reliability

flexibility and professional knowledge

Sellability

ROFRA has agents in numerous sections of the pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food industries.

ROFRA makes tailor-made products for its customers and will, indeed, develop highly marketable systems right through from the drawing board stage to mass production.