The Department of Ayush is initiating an effort to restructure its only central public service undertaking (CPSU), the Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd (IMPCL), at Mohan, Uttarakhand, with a long term view for the next five years to upgrade the company to be a referral industry candidate for manufacturing Indian systems of medicines (ISM).
The aim is to prepare and follow a road map for next five years for product diversification, modernisation for compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) approved by World Health Organisation, evolve suitable marketing strategy for increasing market share both in respect of sale to government agencies and in the open market including exports, informed a higher official from IMPCL. The department has called for bid from experienced consultancy firms to study the industry and the IMPCL records and prepare the road map.
The company has around 195 Ayurvedic medicines and 75 Unani medicines in its product basket and plays as the largest supplier of ISM products to the Central Government Health System (CGHS). The proposed initiative will help the firm to become a referral organisation for ISM manufacturing with international quality standards, said Brig(Retd)V A M Hussain, managing director, IMPCL.
"The study will give us a clear view on whatever modern technologies we could adapt in the existing facility, without compromising on the traditional value and efficacy of the manufacturing procedures," said Hussain. The company is expecting the report to be ready in three to four months from March, 2010. There are also plans to induct more technocrats and skilled manpower into the company to support the project, he added.
The company is currently in the final stage of completing a modernisation project through which modern facility for capsulation, bottling and blister packing is established. The revamp will fill the need gaps like upgradation in quality control mechanism to the highest standards to suit the most modern international standards, for the growth of the company.
It will also explore options to set up one more manufacturing facility and to commence offering Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions to the small scale players in the segment. IMPCL is currently catering its services to the central government research Units such as Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS) and Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) and to health departments with several state governments, besides sales in the open market
The company has recorded a compounded growth in the past three to four years. IMPCL has reported Rs 6.32 crore revenue in the year 2007 and has grown to Rs 20 crore turnover in the current financial year. It is claimed to be the only company which uses fermented wooden vats for preparation of Asavas and Arishtas and cow dung as fuel for processing various products.