Thea-Tex Healthcare (India) Pvt. Ltd is planing to chart its global market entry with its range of Surgical Masks, Respirator Masks, Disposable Caps, Shoe Covers, Surgeon Gowns. The move is to maximise growth with its quality products from prospective markets. The company's facility has already undergone inspections by two Japanese customers. It is also awaiting approval from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOS&H), USA for marketing the N95 masks recommended for H1N1 spread.

The company is known for its medical masks. It has transferred the technology from a leading Taiwan company and has a US-based consultant for the N95 masks. In India, it has captured a 30 per cent share in market which is valued around Rs 10 crore worth of masks per month.

"We have around three key competitors and are well established in the domestic market with a client-base over 150. So the next big challenge is to break into the global market to enhance volumes and directly compete with the Chinese manufacturers, which is currently the world's mask factory," said Anand Singh, marketing director, Thea-Tex Healthcare (India) Pvt. Ltd.

In order to adhere to the highest quality standards, the company has associated with laboratories in the US for both development and test of the masks. India has no accredited labs for the same. Besides, it also works closely with its clients and raw material suppliers to ascertain the latest concepts. This year it has also commenced the production of N95 Respirators which are recommended for H1N1 control and awaiting clearance from NIOS&H, USA.

Thea-Tex reinvested all its additional margins during H1N1 in capacity expansion and factory up gradation to meet Japanese QC levels. In this regard two Japanese buyers inspected its facility and assessed the hygiene management practices. Therefore, the company is keen to access global markets at a faster pace with superior quality masks, he added.

In India, high awareness on use of masks came during the onset of H1N1 scare. This led to a profusion of new entrants into the mask industry competing with established quality manufacturers. Masks were produced at random in an erratic manner and marketed at exorbitant prices. This followed a phase of falling demand and costs which resulted in poor and slow recovery of investments. Now it is high time the government of India brings in stringent production norms for masks.

For companies in the organised space, the challenge is the market selling price. The attitude in India is that a face mask is disposable and must be as cheap. The 2-ply masks used in most Indian hospitals are not surgical masks so if they want to save money then they should not wear a mask at all. Therefore the government should classify masks as a Medical Device and regulate its production and sale so that users have access to the proper 3-ply bacteria filtration efficient masks, stated Singh.

Present personnel strength at Thea-Tex is 150 and the focus is on automating operations to enhance efficiency and speed to market access. The company participated at the Healthex 2010, Bangalore held from July 16 to 17,2010.