With a view to promoting and nurturing the domestic as well as international trade of Made in India pharma machineries and to push Brand India pharma in the global markets, PHARMA Pro&Pack Expo and PharmaLAB Expo 2016 and iPHEX 2016 are once again unfolding at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai from April 27 to 29.
PHARMA Pro&Pack Expo and PharmaLAB Expo 2016 are the concurrent events featuring analytical and biotech instruments and consumables. These exhibitions are being jointly organized by the Indian Pharma Machinery Manufacturers' Association (IPMMA) and GPE Expo Pvt. Ltd. to promote IPMMA member companies as well skills of the other non-member machinery and ancillaries manufacturers on national and international business platforms.
An international Buyers - Sellers Meet (BSM) is also being organised in association with the EEPC India to encourage the exports of the Made in India pharma machineries and allied products needed for the pharma manufacturing plants.
The co-located exhibition, iPHEX 2016, being organized by the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotional Council of India (Pharmexcil) with the support of Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, is aimed at giving the Indian pharmaceutical industry an indigenous platform for promoting Brand India to the world. It focuses on trade and business development of pharmaceutical & healthcare sectors of India. Unlike other international events, IPHEX is exclusive for Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare industry, highlighting its pharmaceutical sector as a global manufacturing hub.
According to Mahendra Mehta, President, IPMM, year after year, the PHARMA Pro&Pack Expo, PharmaLAB Expo and iPHEX exhibitions are getting more and more recognition from domestic and international pharma markets and increased number of trade attendees through pre-registration as well as walk-in registrations have also been observed. The first time participation from the pharma machinery & allied segment has also increased for this year's exhibition.
IPMMA member companies who are the backbone of the Indian pharma industry are also exporting highly competitive world-class engineering technologies with affordable costs. to pharma industries of more than 105 countries, he added
Approximately more than 350 exhibiting companies put together for PHARMA Pro&Pack Expo, PharmaLAB Expo and iPHEX exhibitions are expected to exhibit more than 5,500 products / services in the three-day show. The overall footfall of approximately more than 19,000 trade visitors are expected at the exhibitions. Since these exhibitions are happening for the fourth time, it has already made a mark and more and more serious buyers who are looking for Made in India pharma machineries and allied products / services are attending the exhibition, Mehta pointed out.
Today the Indian pharma machinery industry is giving a tough competition to global players. Thanks to Internet, global trade and industry exhibitions, the Indian industry is able to showcase its strength to the world. MNCs in India are demanding global standards and the Indian multinationals are supporting our industry to cope up with the demand rather than just depending on imports. Because of all the tireless efforts put in by the industry, imports of machinery used by Indian pharma industry are limited to some niche technology areas only, he said.
IPHEX 2016
The major difference of this year's IPHEX even from the previous events and is its comprehensiveness. Earlier events were just focused on a particular region or a particular country, but this year's IPHEX is a combination of all the events wherein there are opportunities to exhibit our products, services, facilities and capabilities to the world at one place.
“During our earlier events we use to have just one to one meeting across the table, but at this IPHEX we are providing them opportunities to exhibit their products in addition to across the table meets. Especially Indian exhibitors will have the opportunity to showcase their products and buyers will have opportunity to meet them in booths. This gives an excellent opportunity for the Indian pharma to showcase their capabilities and strengths to the world,” said Appaji, Director General of Pharmexcil.
For this year’s IPHEX 2016, Pharmexcil has invited more than 500 buyers including drug regulators from focus region. Over 15000 business visitors are expected to participate in the exhibition.
“In this fourth edition of IPHEX, we would be coming up with many value-added services to create maximum business opportunities for exhibitors. To avoid confusion and for better understanding of the events being organized we are installing LED projectors for better visibility to the exhibitors and visitors,” says Barkah, Coordinating officer of IPHEX 2016.
“This time we may not have any seminars or conferences but will facilitate the business to business meeting among the industry players which will help understand each other’s needs. First day will see the inauguration meeting , while the next two days will witness B-2-B meetings on a region wise schedule,” informed Barkah.
“During the past few editions, we could succeed in making IPHEX a big international brand for Indian Pharma. We are also providing opportunity to companies of Indian medical systems like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathic (AYUSH) streams to showcase their products. We are also encouraging SMEs to take part in this event in a big way. They were given concessions and financial benefits by the government,” informed Appaji.
Carrying forward ‘Brand India theme
This year again, the organizers have decided to carry forward the same theme of ‘Brand India-The Pharmacy of world’ that is focused at promoting the Indian Pharma brand to the global markets.
Today, more than 20,000 small and big companies are manufacturing and serving the pharmaceutical sector at various levels. Apart from leading multinational companies (MNC), the medium pharmaceutical firms are also pushing up their efforts to export in the advanced markets like USA and EU. Particularly a large number of medium size companies from Hyderabad and elsewhere from the country have got USFDA nod for supplying generic medicines to the markets of America. This shows, that despite hurdles, the Indian pharma companies both small and big are capable of manufacturing quality medicinal products yet at affordable rates.
“Recently we have met the senior officials of USFDA to collaborate further on the regulatory front. We want to carry forward this momentum of engagement which will help us understand each other’s requirement and accordingly our industry will be able to mould and adopt to changing regulatory standards from time to time,” informed Appaji while explaining about the council’s recent visit to USA to build relations with USFDA regulators.
Globally, India is known for its high quality and affordable manufacture of generic medicines. During the past two decades, the country’s pharma sector has grown leaps and bounds and has almost conquered the markets of more than 200 countries across the world. However, still there is a long way for the Indian industry to grow its size both quantitatively and qualitatively to compete with the already leading western pharma pioneers.
“More than 80 per cent of Indian generic medicines are exported to western countries like USA and Europe. As the manufacturing costs of medicines are growing in the western countries, many of the western players have opened their research labs and manufacturing plants in India to cut costs. Some of them have formed MoUs and entered partnerships with the local Indian manufacturers for contract manufacturing and servicing. Therefore India has a great opportunity to increase its manufacturing capacity and become the largest supplier of generic medicines to the western world. It is high time that we promoted our industry and told the world about our capabilities and standards in quality and make India the global hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing,” pointed out Dr. Appaji.