Gas and dust in one design
The IS-04Z1 is designed against Zone 1 and Zone 21, with a marking target of II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. Group IIC covers hydrogen as well as common solvents, which matters in hydrogenation suites.
Switzerland · Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals
Explosion proof mobile phone for Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals in Switzerland
Swiss fine chemical and pharmaceutical production is a chain of solvent-handling plants between Basel and the Valais. This page is about the sector as a whole, for the EHS and engineering teams who need an explosion proof mobile phone in Switzerland that works across more than one operator. The IS-04Z1 is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 and is still in certification. The IS-04Z1 is designed around intrinsic safety rather than a flameproof enclosure.
Launching Q4 2026 · certification programme in progress
Local approvalVGSEB · ATEX through the MRASwiss VGSEB aligned to ATEX 2014/34/EU · in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
The sector · Basel to the Valais
Explosion proof mobile phone use in Swiss pharmaceutical and fine chemical plants
Switzerland's pharmaceutical and fine chemical industry is not one site but a sequence of them. In the Basel region, the big groups combine research, development and production, and the Rhine corridor carries manufacturing and logistics up to Kaiseraugst. In the Valais, Visp is home to Lonza's largest site, and Siegfried and Bachem, whose main sites are at Zofingen and Bubendorf, also have Valais production. Monthey in the Chablais is a shared chemical platform. Schaffhausen is home to the Cilag pharmaceutical site, established there in 1936. These plants differ in what they make, but they share a hazard pattern. Reactions and purification use flammable solvents in charging, filtration, distillation and drying, which brings Zone 1 and Zone 2 questions, and the final steps of milling, blending and dispensing bring dust. Where both occur in one building, the classification can change within a few metres, and a single handset that covers gas and dust avoids the swap at the airlock. This sector page covers that common ground, and the company pages for Lonza, Novartis and Roche cover the specifics.
Operators and sites named
- Lonza
- Visp, in the canton of Valais; see the company page.
- Novartis
- Basel campus and Stein; see the company page.
- Roche
- Basel and Kaiseraugst; see the company page.
- Siegfried
- Fine chemical and pharmaceutical production, including sites at Zofingen and in the Valais.
- Bachem
- Peptide manufacturing in Bubendorf and the Valais.
- Cilag
- Pharmaceutical production in Schaffhausen, established there in 1936.
Typical classified situations
- Solvent charging and reaction
- Gas atmospheres in reactor halls and charging points.
- Filtration, centrifuges and dryers
- Vapour release during solid-liquid separation and drying.
- Solvent recovery and tank stores
- Flammable-liquid storage with defined zones around vents and connections.
- Milling, blending and dispensing
- Dust zones for active ingredients and excipients.
- Cleaning with alcohols
- Routine flammable vapour in cleaned areas and fume cupboards.
- Utilities
- Fuel gas, steam and process gas supplies.
Built for the work
What a validated solvent plant asks of a handset
Pharmaceutical buildings are validated, cleaned and controlled. The device has to fit that regime as well as the classification.
IP ratingIP68
Battery4,000 mAh
Camera50 MP
OSAndroid 16
Routine wipe-down
IP68 sealing and rugged build are aimed at plants that are cleaned rather than rained on. Approved cleaning agents on each site should be checked against the manual.
Three languages, one fleet
German, French and Italian interfaces under Android 16 suit a sector with plants across the German, French and Italian-speaking regions.
Management through existing tools
A multi-site group can enrol the handsets in the MDM it already runs, using Android Enterprise, rather than adding a separate Ex-only platform.
Use cases · Sector
Where the IS-04Z1 goes to work in Swiss pharmaceutical plants.
Production01
Reactor hall rounds
An operator in a reactor hall checks pressures and temperatures and photographs a leaking flange, with the record attached to the location.
Maintenance02
Campaign changeover
Between campaigns, cleaning, opening and requalification involve many contractors. Permits and photographs are carried on one controlled handset.
Quality and EHS03
Audit and inspection walks
An inspector walks classified areas with a checklist and camera in one device, rather than a tablet left outside.
Questions · Pharma
Frequently asked questions
Which Swiss pharmaceutical operators does this page cover?
The sector in general. Lonza, Novartis and Roche have their own pages on this site, and Siegfried, Bachem and Cilag are named as examples of operators with solvent and powder handling. Naming a company does not imply any relationship.
Does hydrogen need a different handset?
Hydrogen is Group IIC, the most demanding gas group, and the marking target for the IS-04Z1 is IIC. Whether a particular room is classified for hydrogen is a site decision.
Does the handset replace the process control terminal?
No. It is for rounds, inspections and communication. Process control remains with the plant's own systems.
Can one certificate cover several sites?
The product certificate does, once it exists. Each site still decides where the device may be used, based on its own classification and approval rules.
Enquiry · Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals, Switzerland
Tell us the site, the zone and gas group, and roughly how many handsets. The SAMS team replies by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule for Switzerland. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and certification is in progress, so there is no list price yet; indicative pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.
Enquiry · Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals
Launching Q4 2026
Evaluating the IS-04Z1 for this site?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule for your market.