HOFinsight_en

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HOF – editorial Ladies and gentlemen We hope that you had a good start into the New Year, person- ally and professionally. As you problably already know, ACHEMA has been postponed to August 2022 as a consequence of the current uncertain pan- demic situation. New date: 22 – 26 August 2022. From an environmental and sustainable point of view, we have also decided that in future our customer publication HOFinsight will appear in online format. We wish you continued success and hope you will enjoy reading it. Despite this temporary postponement, we will of course be repre- sented there again as the international technical market leader. The preparations are currently in progress and we will keep you regularly informed on our special exhibtion website with the lat- est information. With best regards Dr. Alexander HOF (CEO) As already announced, we will also be presenting our new HOF SIRIUS robot-assisted loading and unloading system at ACHEMA. Starting on page 5, you will fi nd an article with further techno- logical information on our new development. Furthermore, we would like to take a brief look back at the year 2021 and inform you about current technological innovations. INTERNATIONAL WORLD FAIR 22 – 26 August 2022 in Frankfurt Hall 4.0 Booth D24 2

HOF – company The next generation takes responsibility – a review Hans-Georg Hof and Dr. Alexander Hof – © Andreas Schmidt/Oberhessische Presse At the beginning of 2021, Dr. Alexander Hof was appointed as the new CEO. He thus took over the position and duties of the company‘s founder Hans-Georg Hof, who retired from the operational business at the end of 2020. In December 2021 there was an interview with father and son on this. Alexander Hof, you have now been Managing Director Alexander Hof, you have already been with the since the beginning of 2021. One year has now passed. Has anything fundamentally changed for you following the leadership change? Well, it is a fact that I no longer see my father in the company as I used to, which has advantages and disadvantages (they both laugh), but of course he further provides advice and assistance and that‘s a good thing. A recent example is the realisation of the new production hall, which would never have been completed so quickly without my father. company for 9 years. With your new responsibility, now as CEO, what are your specific major topics regarding the future? There are a number of issues that are particularly important to me. For example, environmental and climate protection com- bined with the reduction of greenhouse gases. These topics directly affect our cooling technologies. We now offer a whole range of technologies whose refrigeration is based on the use of natural refrigerants. Example: our innovative cold air machine HOF CryoBlizzard, using air as refrigerant. Hans-Georg Hof, how do you perceive this change of generation at Hof? We are constantly working on these subjects and trying new approaches – in terms of developing sustainable technologies. With this step we made at the beginning of 2021, we officially completed the generation change that had been planned for some time. I am 100 % convinced and our entire team too, that my son is our new brilliant captain on the bridge who will maintain conti- nuity in the strategic direction of our company, with great com- mitment and new ideas. Alexander Hof, is there currently an innovative new development that you would like to single out in particular? Yes, for example our new HOF SIRIUS robot-assisted loading and unloading system, an innovative new development that we will be presenting at ACHEMA 2022. A technological highlight – future-proof, powerful and practical. 3

HOF – company Alexander Hof, how important will the international markets be for HOF in the future? Your company is on the road worldwide. HOF is very well positioned. We have highly motivated, commit- ted employees and many future-oriented, innovative ideas, that have made us the professional market leader. Making ourselves integrally available to the market, in conjunc- tion with organic growth of the company, this is what has been important for us in the past and will continue to be important in the future. We are already working together with our custom- ers in 27 countries worldwide. HOF supports around 2,000 plants worldwide and is regarded as a reliable partner in the development and construction of new plants as well as in the complete area of after-sales service. Our service team is available to our customers, for example, for maintenance, calibrations, repairs, conversions and modern- isations – worldwide. Alexander Hof, your company has more or less been affected by the Corona pandemic, like any other company. How is the company currently doing? We initiated preventive measures at an early stage and devel- oped a 5-step pandemic plan that has enabled us to get through the pandemic well so far. The cooperation of our workforce in particular was key to our success. But of course we are still busy with the pandemic. We can see that now with the postponement of ACHEMA into August this year and the impact that has had.These are still turbulent times. But despite the ongoing pandemic, we are looking ahead. In 2021, for example, we have installed and commissioned sev- eral much-needed Freeze-Thaw Units (FTU) for vaccine produc- tion in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Finally, I have a question for Hans-Georg Hof. You are now in the company only from time to time. Are there any new personal goals for you that you want to associate with your retirement and achieve? Well, it‘s no secret that I enjoy spending my free time in active farming – this has accompanied me since my childhood. So far, of course, my professional life has always been in the fore- ground and I could only engage my hobby in passing. I have now swapped the roles. I am very happy that I can now devote the time and attention to agriculture which is required to do every- thing in peace. There is no need anymore to rush to be on the field after the daily appointments to quickly bring the harvest on the dry place before nightfall or the next thunderstorm. Now, I am able to en- gage all activities with pleasure and serenity and am very happy about that. At the same time, I also have the freedom to spend more time with my family. Of course, my wife and I would like to make up for the trips we missed in the past. And if there‘s still some free time, I‘m planning to renovate my parental house, a farmhouse built in 1890. So I‘m sure it will not be boring in the near future (Mr. Hof laughs). © Andreas Schmidt/Oberhessische Presse 4

HOF systems – technological leader HOF SIRIUS The new innovative robotic loading and unloading system HOF SIRIUS – future-proof, powerful and practical The requirements in the field of automatic loading and unload- ing of a freeze dryer are growing rapidly. Pharmaceutical pro- ducts and primary packaging material must be transported safe- ly, optimally and in an integrated way. Based on these require- ments, HOF will show at the trade fair ACHEMA 2022 a newly developed innovative robot-assisted loading and unloading sys- tem. The HOF SIRIUS new development convinces with its inno- vative technological character and is a sophisticated high-tech loading and unloading system. Very gentle product transport system HOF SIRUS transports vials without glass-to glass contact from the upstream equipment to the freeze dryer. In the freeze drying plant, a homogeneous, hexagonal vial pack will be positioned in the freeze dryer and placed on the shelf regardless of the vial tolerances. The transport of the vials in format-specific nests which are mounted on individual electromagnetically driven, prevents them to fall on the way from the upstream equipment to the freeze dryer. State-of-the-art robot technology ensures a maximum flexibility in the pharmaceutical sector A specially newly developed transport system ensures a gentle transport of the product and a traceability of each vial during the loading process. The two Stäubli 6-axis robots in the Stericlean version and the electromagnetic XTS-Hygienic from Beckhoff ensure a maximum flexibility in the pharmaceutical sector. The system can be integrated into both a RABS and an isolator. All components meet the hygienic requirements in the pharma- ceutical environment and are resistant to H2O2. HOF SIRIUS – a highlight ”The HOF SIRIUS new development is a technological highlight and meets all the requirements for a safe and powerful loading and unloading system.“ Peter Schneider – Sales Management 5

HOF systems – technological leader Technologically versatile and individual SIRIUS is a modular system that can be adapted to any layout. It can be supplied with vials from one side and also conveys the dried product back in this direction to the downstream machine. Alternatively, the product can be transported out on the oppo- site side after freeze-drying. Pass-through-conveying in the case of liquid fi lling is also possible. By waiving conveyor belts, glass-to-glass contact, and an accu- mulation of vials on conveyor belts, SIRIUS signifi cantly reduces particle generation. SIRIUS is also adaptable to already known applications, such as automatic stopper placement with temperature sensors, and is a system that combines all previously known vial handling pos- sibilities with the latest technology, increasing process reliability and reducing manual operations. Important product information! Currently, the HOF SIRIUS system is being tested on a long-term basis. In the coming months, we will con- tinue to provide you with important information re- garding system stability, product safety and reliability. Benefi ts at a glance: Flexibility – adaptable to all freeze-dryer sizes State-of-the-art robot technology Short set-up times Easy and fast cleaning Intuitive operator guidance Powerful loading and unloading system The unloading of the freeze dryer is done according to the row- by-row principle. This means that the individual vials can also be traced back to the downstream equipment. Thanks to the innovative interaction of a high-tech transport system and modern robot technology, HOF is able to meet the highrequirements of aseptic loading and unloading of a freeze dryer in the smallest possible space. Depending on the size of the freeze dryer, this system can be easily scaled up to meet our customers‘ requirements. The capacity can be scaled depending on the size of the freeze dryer and the packaging material, up to 400 vials/min for load- ing and 400 vials/min for unloading. SIRIUS can therefore cover the loading and unloading processes of the freeze dryer in the small-scale sector as well as in large production plants. 6

HOF – technology Sustainable refrigeration technologies against climate change Innovative refrigeration technologies – pioneering alternatives to conventional compression refrigeration HOF has a long-standing commitment to the issues of environ- mental protection, climate protection and greenhouse gases, by offering technological and innovative new and further devel- opments. HOF provides with plants based on conventional refrigeration technology, but also offers a whole range of refrigeration tech- nologies that are based on the use of natural refrigerants. In- stead of refrigerants with a high impact on the climate, such as R404A/R507A, these plants use hydrocarbons (ethane/propene), liquid nitrogen or – as in the case of our innovative HOF CryoBliz- zard cold air machine – air as a refrigerant. Refrigerant air, cost-free and always available As an innovative market leader, HOF has always thought and acted with foresight in terms of customer needs. In this spirit, HOF has developed a new technological process CryoBlizzard which uses ambient air as a refrigerant that exceeds the current requirements for freeze drying and blast freezing in the long-run. Compression refrigeration Refrigerants such as R452A, R404A, R410A or R507A are used in conventional refrigeration systems, which we offer with two- stage compressors for refrigeration in the freeze drying process if requested by the customer. As known and well-tried refrig- erants, these have the advantage of being non-flammable and non-toxic. They also require little space and low investment costs. With respect to the F-Gas Regulation, however, some legal regulations have to be taken into account. Nitrogen as a refrigerant Our plants with liquid nitrogen as a refrigerant offer immediate cooling performance, because the −196 °C cold nitrogen is sup- plied directly from nitrogen tanks installed outdoors. In addition to this, these plants offer easy commissioning and a future-proof design because they are not affected by new legal regulations. They also impress with low maintenance costs while offering a high level of temperature flexibility. Currently, the entire industry is in upheaval due to the social and political rules and regulations in regard to climate change, gen erating a level of uncertainty for many operating companies. Frequently asked questions refer to the problem of environmen- tal compatibility, official regulations and directives as well as the availability and price development of operating media. This concerns refrigeration in particular, as the established tech- nologies in this field are increasingly restricted by political regula- tions, bans and shortages. For installations with a service life of more than 30 years, operating companies focus especially on future-proof design, reliability and quality of their plants. Energy efficiency, safety, selection of components, documentation and durability are also crucial factors. Air as a refrigerant Using air for refrigeration offers multiple advan- tages. For one, air is available everywhere, can be used safely and – with a GWP of 0 – does not promote climate change in any way. In ad- dition to this, temperatures below −80 °C can easily be achieved with cold air machines such as the HOF CryoBlizzard. Legal regulations re- garding the F-Gas Regulation consequently do not apply. Hydrocarbons as a refrigerant Our two-stage CAR6 cascade system allows us to achieve low temperatures with natural refrig erants. The refrigerants used are the hydrocar- bons ethane and propene, which allow a very high level of efficiency to be achieved with maxi- mum flexibility. The cascade systems ensure safe operation of a plant which is also future-proof. 7

HOF – technology Freeze drying with air as refrigerant The cold air machines are chillers which oper- ate with air as a refrigerant using the Joule- process. The maximum overpressure in the ma- chines is 3 bar and can be compared to that in a bicycle tyre. These machines are therefore es- pecially safe and environmentally friendly. No special requirements result from this with regard to the machine room, employee train- ing and recurrent testing. In addition to this, air as a refrigerant is free and always avail- able, has a GWP of 0 and is therefore not af- fected by any regulations. HOF CryoProPhase – Air Purification using air as refrigerant Fig.: HOF CryoBlizzard ProPhase process cooling for exhaust gas cleaning and solvent condensation – compliance with the new “TA-Luft” Regulation The processes in many industry sectors generate pollutant emis- sions in the exhaust gas flow, which have to be processed befo- re being discharged into the environment. With HOF CryoProPhase, multiple exhaust gas flows can be cleaned with a climate-friendly and future-proof technology and the pollutants can be separated effectively and completely. This process is based on the cold air machine, which supplies multiple exhaust gas sections through a silicone oil circuit, sepa- rating the pollutants within shell and tube heat exchangers. The very cold exhaust gas flow is then used for energy recovery by means of an inner heat exchanger, allowing a large part of the pollutants to be condensed already in the exhaust gas flow and reducing the required cold input. Based on the processes integrated into the overall procedure, not only can the limits of the German TA-Luft regulation be met, but a large part of the emissions can be fully recycled and returned into the original process. In addition to complying with the limits, this also increases the economic efficiency for the owner significantly. Flexible temperature adjustment The cold air machine enables large dynamic load changes with high efficiency due to the continuously adjustable turbo com- pressor expander unit (compander) from MIRAI. The required temperatures can be flexibly adjusted between −40 and −110 °C on the cold air machine (up to −160 °C for special versions). Accordingly, the optimum condensation tem- perature can be selected individually for different process con- ditions and different pollutants. Fig.: Turbo expander Mirai Intex compressor – outlet high pressure high temperatur motor turbo expander – outlet low pressure extrem low temperatur compressor – inlet low pressure low temperatur 8 turbo expander – inlet high pressure low temperatur

HOF – technology Future-proof and effi cient alternative Retrofi tting existing systems or There are no specifi c requirements for installation of the cold air machine, as the operating pressure does not exceed a range between 4 and 10 bar and no fl ammable or toxic refrigerant are used. The technology therefore poses no hazards for humans and the environment. The compander unit with air bearing means that the entire sys- tem is oil-free and wear-free, reducing maintenance work to a minimum. No regular leak tests are necessary because air is used as a refrigerant. In addition to this, the technology is not subject to any regulations, it is easy to scale and offers a future-proof and more effi cient alternative to R23 or synthetic refrigerants. In the case of moist exhaust gas fl ows, the system can option- ally be equipped with alternating heat exchangers, so that one section continuously dries and one cleans. The HOF CryoPro- Phase is the future-proof, fail-safe and effi cient solution for ex- haust gas treatment in pharmaceutical and industrial processes that functions reliably and is safe for humans and for the envi- ronment. Clean and environmentally friendly solution The HOF CryoProPhase is a process for cleaning air using air as a refrigerant and is therefore a clean and effi cient alternative for meeting the highest environmental requirements. Benefi ts at a glance: implementing new plants with the HOF CryoBlizzard cold air machine The modular design allows the capacity of the HOF CryoBlizzard to be scaled up or down, allowing it to be adapted to anything from a laboratory freeze dryer or a production plant to a cen- tral cooling system for complete factories. Existing plants can be retrofi tted and new plants can be implemented with the HOF CryoBlizzard. HOF has developed a future-proof solution for freeze drying and blast freezing which is not only safe for employees and the environment, but also sets new standards with regard to the quality and availability of the application. ”The advantage of air as a refrigerant is obvious. Air is available, non-fl ammable, non-toxic and poses no risk of suffocation. Air has no GWP and is therefore not subject to the the F-Gas regulation or other directives. This is the future“, says Oliver Fleischer. Department for Refrigeration Technology and Service Management Natural refrigerant (GWP 0) Uses ambient air “Scale up” using central cooling Future-proof and not affected by regulations Low maintenance effort High temperature fl exibility Low noise emissions Nearly no requirements for machine room installation (pressure analysis/refrigerant) Very low training required and good safety aspect for employees and site 9 You can fi nd more detailed information in our brochure: Innovative refrigeration technologies Pioneering alternatives to conventional compression refrigeration We will gladly send you our brochure by mail. You will also fi nd it as a PDF download on our website at: www.hof-sonderanlagen.de/en/hof-products If you have any questions on the subject of refrigeration technologies please do not hesitate to contact Oliver Fleischer. phone: + 49 6462 9169-0 fl eischero@hof-sonderanlagen.de

HOF – company HOF brand essence = innovative strength HOF will continue to be among the medium-sized innovation elite in 2022 HOF is the national and international technological market leader in many new de- velopments in the fi eld of freeze drying systems. After all, HOF‘s brand essence is its innovative strength. To maintain and further expand the associated role of the inno- vative pioneer: ”is one of our defi ned goals and our customers should benefi t from this. Now and in the future“, says CEO Dr. Alexander Hof. As a professional market leader, it is therefore very important for HOF to have its innovative competence as- sessed by an independent party. The Top 100 events, under the scientifi c direction of Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke and mentor Ranga Yogeshwar, are the only competition in Germany that has been awarding medium-sized companies for their innovation management under scien- tifi c direction for over 25 years on the market. For more information please visit our website: www.hof-sonderanlagen.de/en/news HOF has continuously faced the associated selection process since 2016 and has been awarded the TOP 100 seal for the seventh time and is, once again, one of the most innovative companies in Germany. Ranga Yogeshwar, TOP 100 mentor Prof.Dr. Nikolaus Franke, scientifi c director of TOP 100 HOF invests millions in the future The construction of the new production hall has been completed in August 2021 HOF has an excellent reputation as a specialist for innovative so- lutions and as a reliable partner to the pharmaceutical and bio- technology industries. The performance of HOF systems, service and adherence to delivery dates are reliable and well-known strong points. The associated continuous growth is an impor- tant strategic feature of HOF. The foresight of increasing the production space with the construction of the new manufac- turing hall, came true this year. Investment volume 3.8 million euros With the new production area, HOF has now successfully in- creased its capacity for installing freeze dryers in a vertical ar- rangement as a two-story design by 40 % and doubled the ca- pacity of its in-house refrigeration workshop. 450 m2 of fl oor space 4,770 m3 building volume, 11 m high two cranes, one with 40 and one with 20 tons of lifting capacity 10 10

HOF – company Head offi ce HOF Sonderanlagenbau GmbH Ludwig-Rinn-Str. 1–3 | 35102 Lohra | Germany phone + 49 6462 9169-0 | fax + 49 6462 9169-199 info@hof-sonderanlagen.com | www.hof-sonderanlagen.com Mornshausen facility HOF Sonderanlagenbau GmbH Vor dem Langen Loh 2 | 35075 Gladenbach-Mornshausen | Germany phone + 49 6462 9169-0 | fax + 49 6462 9169-199 info@hof-sonderanlagen.com | www.hof-sonderanlagen.com company information publisher: HOF Sonderanlagenbau GmbH Ludwig-Rinn-Str. 1–3 | 35102 Lohra | Germany phone + 49 6462 9169-0 | fax + 49 6462 9169-199 | www.hof-sonderanlagen.com responsible according to the press law: Alexander Hof, Stefan Becker conception, design, editorial assistance: exposé Marketing & Werbung, Marburg, Michael Grebe, contact: + 49 6421 484880 print and handling: L&W Druck GbR, Bad Endbach, contact: + 49 2776 922990 picture credits: fotolia.com and HOF Sonderanlagenbau GmbH