Injectables At Scale: The 10 Best Liquid Filling Machine Manufacturers You Should Know

It was the winter of 2021, and a biotech startup in Switzerland faced a race against time. They had developed a breakthrough mRNA therapy for a rare genetic disorder—but with clinical trial deadlines looming, their biggest hurdle wasn’t scientific. It was operational.

Their existing liquid filling line couldn’t meet the sterility demands or batch size flexibility that the new therapy required. With regulatory approvals ticking like a time bomb, they turned to a trusted partner in Germany who delivered a modular aseptic filling line in just eight weeks. That machine didn’t just fill vials—it filled a critical gap between innovation and impact, enabling the seamless scale-up of injectable drugs from the lab bench to the patient bedside.

This article spotlights the 10 best liquid filling machine manufacturers that make these moments possible—each one specializing in scalable injectable solutions that cater to the unique needs of the biotech industry. From advanced vial filling systems equipped with overflow fillers to those utilizing ball profile rails that ensure durability at speeds up to 300 bottles per minute, these top global liquid filling machine manufacturers are essential partners for any CDMO looking to enhance their production capabilities.

Whether you’re in need of bottle filling machines for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, or even food industry machinery, understanding how to select the best liquid filling machine based on product needs and volume requirements is crucial.

1. Syntegon (Germany)

Previously known as Bosch Packaging Technology, Syntegon is a global leader in injectable filling systems with an estimated 6–7% market share. Its MLD Advanced syringe filler is designed to process up to 400 units per minute while integrating sterility, dose verification, and particle inspection—essential features for the pharmaceutical industry machinery.

Syntegon’s ALF 5000 series is a modular solution that supports vials and ampoules, ensuring quick changeovers for different drug types. This flexibility is a major advantage for CDMOs working with diverse formulations, including biologics and personalized therapies. The company’s technologies emphasize cleanroom compatibility and containment, making them ideal for handling hazardous drugs or potent APIs like antibody-drug conjugates.

Bonus Edge: Syntegon offers small-batch vial filling lines equipped with integrated containment systems—perfect for hazardous drugs handling and specialized applications in the chemicals sector. Additionally, these lines allow for the use of advanced features such as magnetic sensors to enhance quality control during the filling process. When considering packaging machines for complex projects, be sure to explore customization options and technical support provided by manufacturers like Syntegon.

2. IMA Life (Italy)

As a part of the IMA Group, IMA Life holds a 5–6% market share and is a recognized leader in aseptic vial filling and syringe filling. Their innovative MODULA system enables simultaneous cartridge and syringe filling, while the STERIFILL series offers up to 8-lane scalable configurations tailored for various machine applications: bottling liquids like juices and spirits.

IMA Life’s expertise lies in harmonizing freeze-drying integration with sterile filling processes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company played a key role by enabling diagnostic liquid fill lines at scale. Their systems are designed with real-time quality checks, ensuring isolator compatibility and reduced floorspace needs while maintaining high standards of GMP compliance.

Bonus Edge: IMA Life systems come with full CIP/SIP capabilities, which significantly reduce downtime and improve GMP compliance during batch changeovers. This makes them essential for industries requiring strict quality control, such as the cosmetics industry machinery.

For those looking to identify top brands in the market for purchasing or partnering purposes, IMA Life stands out with its advanced technologies like flow meter liquid fillers and capping machines that offer customization options to meet diverse production needs.

3. Groninger (Germany)

Holding a 4–5% market share, Groninger's flexfill platform and robocell platforms redefine automation in filling machines. These advanced systems support vials, cartridges, and syringes with robotic arms in isolators, effectively replacing glove ports to lower contamination risk.

Their low-shear pumping technology is essential for biologic integrity preservation, ensuring that delicate substances maintain their properties during the filling process. Equipped with smart controls and data logging features, these platforms are ideal for small-batch biologics and personalized vaccine programs. Groninger stands out among the best liquid filling machine manufacturers by offering digital-ready machines that allow for recipe-based automation, enabling rapid product changeovers while minimizing human error in fill accuracy.

Bonus Edge: Groninger’s innovative approach includes the use of stainless steel calibrated shafts and advanced flow meter filler machine features, making their systems some of the top semi-automatic bottling machines in the industry.

4. OPTIMA Pharma (Germany)

OPTIMA Pharma holds a 3–4% share in the aseptic filling space and is renowned for its modular lines and cleanroom-compatible systems. Its advanced systems are designed to handle a wide range of applications, including monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and gene therapies, offering strong lifecycle support from clinical to commercial scale.

The company's innovative barrier isolator integration and automated lyophilization units ensure precision and sterility throughout the filling process. Additionally, OPTIMA's PAT-enabled monitoring systems enhance quality control by providing real-time data on various parameters.

For those looking for efficient inline filling machines, OPTIMA's product range includes options equipped with OMRON PLC control panel features that simplify operation and maintenance. This is essential for understanding the features of different liquid filling machine models, especially when considering automatic vs semi-automatic filling machines.

Bonus Edge: They offer fill-finish lines with digital twins for real-time process simulation—improving tech transfer and reducing validation timelines. Furthermore, OPTIMA Pharma provides comprehensive maintenance services and offers guidance on maintenance and operational training for liquid filling equipment, ensuring that operators are well-equipped to manage these sophisticated systems effectively.

5. Bausch+Ströbel (B+S) (Germany)

With a 3% market share, Bausch+Ströbel (B+S) specializes in modular plug-and-produce lines designed for aseptic liquid filling processes. Their KSF and SV series effectively handle syringes, ampoules, and vials while integrating inspection and sealing capabilities.

Known for enhancing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), B+S machines feature tool-less format changes that assist CDMOs and pharma manufacturers in quickly switching between SKUs. This flexibility is essential in industries with varying production demands, especially those dealing with high-value products like biologics.

Bonus Edge: Their positive displacement pumps and weight checkers reduce product loss and ensure precise dosing—vital for expensive biologics. Additionally, B+S offers advanced features such as rotary fillers and flow control valves to optimize the filling process further.

For manufacturers looking to invest in liquid filling equipment, understanding capacity and speed specifications for bottling machines is crucial. Bausch+Ströbel’s training services also ensure that operators are well-equipped to manage these sophisticated systems effectively.

6. Rommelag (Germany)

Rommelag is the undisputed pioneer of Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) technology, leading the field in container-free aseptic manufacturing. Their innovative solutions are ideal for ophthalmics manufacturing, vaccines, and biologics, effectively reducing human contact and contamination risk.

By utilizing BFS technology, Rommelag eliminates the need for pre-sterilized containers and minimizes sterile failure points—making it the go-to choice for single-dose therapies and cold-chain-free transport. This approach ensures that products maintain their integrity while adhering to strict safety standards.

Bonus Edge: Their scalable aseptic solutions support 24/7 operation, offering unmatched scalability for pandemic-era vaccine production. Whether you're looking for injectable liquid filling machines or large-scale automatic liquid filling machines, Rommelag stands out among the best liquid filling machine manufacturers.

When considering a filling machine, it's essential to determine suitable filling machine based on product type and container shape. Questions to ask when choosing a liquid filling machine include: what is the product type to fill; volume; temperature sensitivity; and is it powder or liquid? With advanced features like OMRON PLC integration and pressure overflow filler systems, Rommelag ensures precision and efficiency in every step of the process.

7. Marchesini Group (Italy)

Marchesini Group combines Italian engineering flair with pharma-grade modular automation. Their advanced filling lines support vials, prefilled syringes (PFS), and cartridges, with a strong emphasis on secondary packaging integration. These lines are designed to minimize human intervention while ensuring efficiency and compliance in cleanroom environments.

Popular in both innovator and generic pharma, Marchesini is known for quick changeovers and visual designs suited to cleanroom design. Their innovative approach includes the use of fiber optic sensors and gear pump fillers that allow precise nozzle stroke adjustment, ensuring accurate filling processes across various applications.

Bonus Edge: They’ve introduced smart factory connectivity, allowing remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and full serialization integration. This capability ensures that manufacturers can monitor machine performance in real-time and maintain optimal efficiency across production lines. Whether you're exploring technical specifications like electric and pneumatic needs of machines or looking for reliable tube filling machines, Marchesini Group stands out on the top global manufacturers list for vial and syringe filling solutions.

8. Shibuya-Hoppmann (USA)

With strong demand in the US market, Shibuya-Hoppmann specializes in customized aseptic filling lines that cater to the unique needs of niche biotech production. Their advanced liquid filling machines are designed to support E-beam sterilization, weight-based filling, and SCADA integration, making them ideal for clinical-stage biotechs looking for scalable yet tailor-made aseptic solutions.

Shibuya-Hoppmann is a favorite among clinical-stage biotechs needing efficient and sanitary liquid fillers, particularly those involved in ultra-cold storage therapies. Their flexible vial and ampoule fillers even support liquid nitrogen dosing, ensuring compatibility with various electric and pneumatic requirements for filling machines.

Bonus Edge: As part of their commitment to quality, Shibuya-Hoppmann utilizes 304 stainless steel in their manufacturing processes, ensuring durability and hygiene across all their customized aseptic filling lines.

For those looking to Find reliable and reputable manufacturers of liquid filling machines globally, Acasi Machinery and Marin G. & C. are also notable names in the industry, offering specialized equipment like syringe filling machines that incorporate BFS technology in injectables.

9. Dara Pharma (Spain)

With a fast-growing APAC and LATAM presence, Dara Pharma delivers compact modular filling systems for vials, syringes, and cartridges. Their machines, including high-speed syringe fillers and advanced piston fillers, are favored by emerging pharma companies looking for plug-and-play solutions that ensure strong regulatory alignment across the US, EU, and WHO-PQ standards.

Dara's equipment is praised for its speedy deployment and adherence to strict regulatory guidelines, making it one of the best liquid filling machine manufacturers in the industry. Their innovative bottle filling machine designs are equipped with machine logic functions that are PLC controlled, ensuring efficiency and precision in every batch.

Bonus Edge: Their modular cleanroom pods allow for mobile filling units, ideal for pandemic response or remote batch production. These cleanroom solutions are designed with sustainability in mind, utilizing low carbon footprint technology to minimize environmental impact while maintaining high standards of quality.

10. Lodha Pharma (India)

Lodha Pharma represents India's rise in aseptic technology in India. With a growing APAC client base, their LI-DPF 8 model features advanced servo-driven dosing, vacuum-assisted stoppering, and lyo-compatibility—all while remaining cost-effective. This innovative model is essential for industries served by liquid filling machine manufacturers such as food and beverage and carbonated soft drinks.

Lodha’s machines adhere to US FDA standards and MHRA standards and are widely adopted for lyophilized injectables, vaccine filling, and oncology drugs. Their commitment to precision ensures that each process meets the highest quality standards.

Bonus Edge: Lodha offers customizations based on product viscosity, making them versatile across a broad therapeutic portfolio. Whether you're looking for automatic and semi-automatic filling machines or modular filling systems, Lodha Pharma has solutions tailored to your needs. Additionally, their no bottle no fill feature enhances efficiency while maintaining product integrity.



Conclusion

Somewhere in a high-altitude clinic in Peru, a health worker fills a vial of yellow fever vaccine using a compact BFS system designed to survive rugged conditions. Meanwhile, across the world in a cutting-edge lab in Boston, a precision syringe filler loads a micro-dose of an experimental Alzheimer’s biologic with zero tolerance for error.

These scenes may seem worlds apart—but they’re connected by one silent enabler: the right liquid filling machine. The importance of liquid filling machines cannot be overstated, especially in an industry where every milliliter counts. The companies featured in this article don’t just build equipment; they build trust, timelines, and injectable drug manufacturing continuity. As injectables expand into novel mRNA formats, cell therapies, and intravitreal biologics, the complexity will only grow.

Yet, so will the opportunity. Whether you’re a CDMO responding to a pandemic call or a startup preparing for its first clinical batch, the filling line selection you make may just become the heartbeat of your entire operation. Because at the end of the day, when a patient receives that perfectly filled syringe or vial, they’re not thinking about pumps, servo motors, or isolators. But you are. And that’s why this list matters.

As you consider the best liquid filling machine manufacturers, remember that factors like speed—such as those offered by Buna with speeds up to 120 bottles per minute—and the use of sanitary machine parts materials are crucial for ensuring quality and safety in your processes. Companies like Powerrig Machinery and ProMach specialize not only in pharmaceutical applications but also offer solutions across various industries, including beverage filling machines for beer and other liquids. Discover companies specializing in packaging and bottling machinery for various industries to find the right equipment that meets your specific needs.

FAQs

What are the key challenges faced by biotech startups in liquid filling for mRNA therapies?

Biotech startups often face operational challenges with existing liquid filling lines when scaling up mRNA therapies. These challenges include ensuring aseptic conditions, handling diverse product viscosities, and meeting regulatory standards. Partnering with experienced manufacturers offering modular aseptic filling lines can enable rapid deployment and efficient scale-up within weeks.

Which are the top liquid filling machine manufacturers for injectable drug scale-up?

The leading manufacturers enabling injectable drug scale-up from lab bench to patient bedside include Syntegon (Germany), IMA Life (Italy), Groninger (Germany), OPTIMA Pharma (Germany), Bausch+Ströbel (Germany), Rommelag (Germany), Marchesini Group (Italy), Shibuya-Hoppmann (USA), Dara Pharma (Spain), and Lodha Pharma (India). These companies offer advanced modular, cleanroom-compatible aseptic filling solutions tailored to various drug formats.

What are the notable features of Syntegon's liquid filling machines?

Syntegon holds a 6-7% market share and provides the MLD Advanced syringe filler capable of processing up to 400 units per minute. Their systems emphasize containment, cleanroom compatibility, and versatility across multiple injectable formats, making them suitable for high-throughput aseptic filling operations.

How do modular aseptic filling lines support diverse pharmaceutical applications?

Modular aseptic filling lines offer flexibility to handle a broad therapeutic portfolio including monoclonal antibodies, gene therapies, vaccines, oncology drugs, and intravitreal biologics. They support various container types such as vials, syringes, ampoules, cartridges, and lyophilized injectables. Customizations accommodate product viscosity variations while adhering to US FDA and MHRA standards.

In what ways are these liquid filling machines utilized globally?

These machines are widely adopted worldwide for critical applications such as yellow fever vaccine filling in high-altitude clinics in Peru and Alzheimer's biologic production in cutting-edge Boston laboratories. Their versatility supports both emerging pharma companies and CDMOs responding rapidly to pandemics or producing startups' first clinical batches.