Sterling Biotech, Asia''s largest and one of the world''s top five pharma grade gelatin manufacturers, has bagged export orders from two US-based healthcare companies, the cumulative value of which, amounts to Rs 22.5 crore.

Sterling has bagged an Rs 12.5 crore export order from the US-based GNC Group. With operations in more than 5,000 retail outlets throughout the US and in 29 foreign markets, GNC is one of the world''s largest specialty retailer of vitamin, mineral, herbal supplement, and sports nutrition supplements, and many personal care and related products. GNC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Numico NV, a worldwide market leader in specialized nutrition that includes infant and clinical nutrition and nutritional supplements.

Further, Sterling has received a Rs 10 crore export order from Cardinal Healthcare Inc, USA. One of the leading providers of healthcare products and services globally, Cardinal is ranked 23rd in the Fortune 500 list. The current order comes on the back of the Rs 5.5 crore export order that the company received from Cardinal early this year.

Together, the export orders amount to Rs 22.50 crore. These orders are for the supply of gelatin and are expected to be completed in the current fiscal itself. Nitin Sandesara, chairman of Sterling Biotech said, "That our relationship with Cardinal would help the company make further inroads into the US markets, was imminent. The repeat order from Cardinal and the new association with GNC only collaborates this fact. Being one of the few elite companies in the world to have obtained the European Directorate of Quality Medicines Certification (EDQM), we are confident of expanding our market in the European Union countries too."

Sterling''s clients include some of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the United States and Europe. With product quality, production facilities and technology comparable to the best in the world, Sterling competes with some of the largest gelatin manufacturers globally. The company has set up a unit in collaboration with Croda Colloids of UK, a world leader in the manufacture of gelatin. The ISO 9002 and HACCP certified plant is located at Vadodara, Gujarat. The product finds usage in the making of hard and soft shell capsules, vitamin encapsulation and tablet binding in the pharma industry.