The two-day national exhibition 'Pharmac South 2014', held at Chennai Trade Centre on July 18 and 19, had an impressive footfall of 2000 visitors from all over India, including 250 brand managers of big pharmaceutical companies and about 100 contract manufacturers exhibiting their innovative pharmaceutical products and company profiles.

The huge response has proved that the south Indian pharma industry is very strong and it can contribute hugely to the demands of the domestic and foreign pharmaceutical markets. In his lecture, the deputy drugs controller, CDSCO Chennai, had mentioned that in the total drug export of 2013-14, the south Indian pharma companies’ contribution was 51per cent as per the data available with his office.  

The organisers had organised three panel discussions exclusively for the brand managers and other leaders  from the industry, and about 250 representatives attended the discussions and shared their views. The exhibition was aimed at promoting business activities of the pharmaceutical companies of the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telengana, Seemandhra, Pondicherry and Kerala.

According to sources, an exhibition of this segment was the first of its kind in Chennai and it has served a platform for a healthy interaction between brand managers of big companies and contract manufacturers.

“Normally the contract manufacturers visit the brand managers of big companies for their business promotion. Here they come to the manufacturers. As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, it is the hub of contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS). This expo has helped a lot to show our strength to the big players across the country”, said J Jayaseelan, vice president of TN IDMA.

M Rajaratinam, chairman of TN IDMA, said all those brand managers who have paid a visit to the expo are fully satisfied. The brand managers/marketing managers are the decision makers of brands in a company. The manufacturers exhibited their products to the brand managers and to the exporters. Several companies’ products were attracted and demanded by the visitors. About 100 manufacturers showcased their products in the exhibition and all of them are hopeful of getting contracts.