Nalge-Nunc International, USA is a 55-year-old multinational company that serves life sciences research institutions and biotech drug manufacturing sector across the world. A global player in the field of innovative and reliable high-quality plastic lab-ware, the company showed $ 250,000,000 turnover last year. It employs over 1600 employees worldwide.

Craig Jack, President, Nalge-Nunc speaks to Pharmabiz.com on the objectives behind the visit, and his long term plans for Asian region and India in particular. Excerpts:

What necessitated this business visit to India?

The US biotech industry is keenly observing the growth of Indian biotech sector. There is a general feeling that post January 2005 is going to attract lot of foreign investments in biotech sector to India. Many of the western companies may like to set up units here. The research market in India is expected to grow multifold. It is in this context that I decided to have a closer look at the Indian biotech and life science research market.

Do you have any plans for making India a manufacturing hub for your products?

We may think of a manufacturing facility in the Asian region. But it is too early to comment on that. We have been in India for so many years but it is the first time that we have felt the need to have a close look at the market. Our Indian business has doubled in the last three-four years. India has the potential to become a base of our Asian operations as well. All our major European competitors are here. All imported products are costlier as they carry freight charges and import duties.

Since you have ruled out immediate possibilities for setting up manufacturing units here, what would be your export target to the region? Especially India and China?

I have met companies in all major biotech hubs like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune. All of them are already using our products. Our intention is to ensure that we serve the market more effectively. My company is a US $ 5 billion company. I intend to come back for another look at Indian market in six months time. By that time, we would definitely have a better plan for India. About my plans for Asian market, I would say that my primary intention is to closely look at the developments in the Asian market.