Buoyed by rising Indian generic export to US and other regulated markets which spurred demand for active healthcare packaging solutions, Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals and active packaging solutions, is eying 15-20 per cent annual growth in India.

India is a dynamic packaging market offering growth potential for both barrier packaging solution providers and active packaging manufacturers. Indian pharma industries opt for barrier packaging solutions when it comes to domestic market while active packaging solutions like dessicant canisters are being used by those exporting to regulated markets.

In terms of value, active packaging solution commands Rs. 200 crores. India being the second largest populous country has huge medicine consumption market driving the growth of pharma and packaging industries. “The Indian generic pharma industry has grown manifold over the years. The share of Indian generic medicine also grew in the US market, for example 40 per cent of US generic prescriptions were filled by Indian medicine. Our US plant was contributing to Indian market. Large share of our US production was going to India, so we decided to start production facility in India,” said Ketan Premani, Head – Clariant Healthcare Packaging India.

Clariant’s business line healthcare packaging had conducted the groundbreaking ceremony of its new greenfield production facility in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu in January 2016. This facility will manufacture desiccant canisters, the primary desiccant platform for high-speed, high-volume packaging lines, often the case for generic drug manufacturers. In addition, Clariant is already assessing plans for expanded production, including plans to add high-capacity multi-lane production of its versatile Continu-Strip desiccant packets, which can be inserted with numerous types of standard dessicant insertion machinery.

The new site spread over 5 acres will serve the Indian pharmaceutical industry with state-of-the-art desiccant products produced under the strictest quality and compliance standards, and within a secure, truly global manufacturing network. All products produced at the Cuddalore facility will meet US FDA and EU standards for use in pharmaceutical applications, he said.

This is also keeping with a trend that international formulation production started shifting to India. For example 60 per cent of production of US based generic manufacturer Mylan takes place in India. Pharmaceutical companies are shifting production to India which has largest number of US FDA approved plants outside USA, he added.

As the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly looking to India to manufacture and source high-quality, cost-effective products, the plant will play a crucial role in meeting their requirements, said Premani.