Ashland, a specialty ingredients company, has opened a new pharmaceutical centre of excellence in Hyderabad. Spread across 30000 square feet, the unit located in Genome Valley at Alexandria Park, Shamirpet is a state-of-art research facility dedicated for oral solid dosage forms and manufacturing of a line of excipients and a variety of speciality ingredients, tablets and disintegrants needed for the formulation industry.
While talking at the opening of the new centre in Hyderabad, Luis Fernandez-Moreno, president of Ashland Specialty Ingredients, said, “Investment in state-of-the-art facilities allow us to provide growth and deliver innovation where our customers are located. This facility provides our customers in India and throughout the region an excellent research platform that will enhance the needs pharmaceutical formulations industry.”
Initially the new centre employs 20 scientists who will be working on research and development for different product technologies. Currently the centre in Hyderabad is focussed at providing services to both domestic and international pharmaceutical manufacturers. Particularly the centre is expected to cater the needs of markets in South East Asian region.
Ashland’s R&D is dedicated at bringing out optimal yields, as lower variability in oral solid-dosage forms is essential to the future success of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. “At our new centre of excellence, we bring together our expertise in process technology and our knowledge in material science to further support the quality, safety and efficiency of oral solid-dosage forms,” said Jim Mish, group vice president, consumer specialities, Ashland.
The company also provides customised training on product applications to the customers. Additionally, its R&D team provides technical assistance for specific requests from customers.
While talking about investments, Nandu Dhekne, vice president, Asia Pacific, Ashland speciality ingredients, said, “We have invested around $10 million in laboratory excellence. Overall about $250 millions have been invested in various units across Asia to gain expertise in pharmaceutical and laboratory care services across the tropical industry”.
With Hyderabad centre, this is the ninth centre of excellence that Ashland specialty ingredients has opened in Asia adding to its global network of three dozen research and development and technical centres.
“Last year the overall revenue of our company was set at $7.8 billion during 2013. This year by September 2014 we are expecting cross the double digit growth,” said Luis, giving the company’s financial details. He said they have pushed in about $ 70 million for the research and development to bring in innovative product technologies in the speciality ingredients segment.
Currently Ashland Specialty ingredients offers industry leading products, technologies and resources for solving formulations and product performance challenges in the key markets including personal care, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, coating and energy, using natural, synthetic and semi synthetic polymers derived from plant and seed extract, cellulose ethers and vinyl pyrrolidones. Overall, Ashland speciality ingredients offer comprehensive and innovative solutions in accordance to consumer demands and industrial applications.