Interview

We are planning to focus more on our pharma business

Dedication, planning, expert workforce and unceasing efforts have made Umang Pharmatech a well know name in pelletization technology. Rajkumar Budhraja, MD and CEO, Umang Pharmatech reveals more to Sachin Jagdale

What has led to your entry into pelletisation technology?

We were already working with a couple of companies for manufacturing of packing machineries. Meanwhile a top pharmaceutical company was trying to develop some spare parts for their pelletizing machineries and they gave me the opportunity to develop the challenging spare parts which could not be developed by their other vendors. I accepted their challenge and fulfilled their requirements by application of innovative ideas. That is how they ordered the same machine from us.

Around the same time, I visited a number of related companies worldwide and learned a great deal about different brands and their technology, which were already established in the market. By the time with the help of my knowledge, experience and our expert team's efforts with effective strategies, we developed our pelletization technology, obviously with the assistance of clients from different industries.

This act has been very effective. It has improved efficiency of the review process.

The pharma industry has been pleased with Umang Pharmatech and has been very supportive, because what it has done is to improve efficiency of the review process. It's in pharma industry's and public's interest to have that review process as thorough and effective as it can be. I think that we have made tremendous progress during the last few years in improving the review process. In fact, we expect that the process will continue to improve, and we welcome that.

Now we continue to ensure that we meet highest standards in all markets in which we operate.

What were the challenges for Umang while adopting this new technology?

During development of the machines, we had to develop different designs of extruders like radial, cone, baskets etc. and also specialised designs of solid drug layering. We have achieved success by developing different designs with the help of industries and institutions that have supported development of new technology so that, all design machines are available in Indian market. Without support from industries and institutions it may not have been possible to develop such broad range of requirements especially for pharma industry.

The important part of my role is to consistently evaluate effectiveness of production in Umang. With the help of my senior members, we conducted a formal assessment, including performance related things. The findings are discussed and we implement them for future improvements.

What are your efforts to position your self in this next category?

We have taken all efforts to develop and add all the range of machines concentrating mainly on pelletisation technology and accordingly we have further innovative machines like hot melt extruders as well as new concept in drug layering machines with international designs of spraying systems as well as powder layering with some special efforts to keep ourselves in specialised field of pelletization technology.

We have also planned a forward integration in pharma industry specialised in pelletization technology. For this we are serving as a single source for customers of diversified interests. Dedicated resources in our R&D and scale-up facility enable us to serve our customers with the responsiveness they demand.

With the implementation of effective strategies we developed a wide range of topics including the group's annual plan, performance in key markets such as domestic market as well the US and European market, organisation and talent, and the role of science and technology. We also reviewed and fully agreed with Umang's strategy and new plans to accelerate change, including portfolio change and business restructuring.

Umang has a team of experienced scientists, project coordinators, and specialists to offer customised solutions.

We are putting all efforts to prove ourselves in pharma, like a global provider of discovery research and development services by adopting innovating ideas.

We have proven to be a fast emerging company and the biggest manufacturer and exporter of specialty polymers for pharma, chemical, food and cosmetic industries in India as well in export markets.

We operate different strategies with sharp focus on our products. Developing markets and faster growing product areas like personal care have the capacity to dramatically change business. The structure is much leaner and simpler. It will enable Umang to maximise its considerable advantages of buying, manufacturing and marketing scale.

What are the brands/products of Umang that have been appreciated by the market?

As we have started our business with manufacturing machineries for number of industries, domestic as well as international market has accepted our range of spheroidsers and extruders. In pharma we are a multi-products polymers group with proven capabilities in designing, developing and manufacturing various polymers and related products for pharma companies.

Our wide range of products includes specialty polymers, sugar spheres, MCC spheres, specialty spheres and cosmetic beads under the brand names, Spraysphers, Spraypol, Spraymix. Our pharma business line of unit coatings and additives has been supplying these different polymers to the pharma companies all over the world.

On the personal note, I find this an exciting time to introduce our brands in the market. The business is doing well and with its wealth of talented people, its great global brands and its ambitious business plans, Umang is on track to do even better.

You have clients from different industries. How do you cope with their varied demands?

We have number of clients varying from atomic research, pharma, chemicals and pesticides etc. for our engineering business.

In our pharma line of business we are successful in promoting our brands in the Indian pharma, food and cosmetic markets. For the last couple of years we have entered the international pharma, food and cosmetic markets. With the corporation of our valued clients we are making modifications in our product with the help of our team of experienced scientists, project coordinators, and specialists to offer customised solution to satisfy customer's need.

Which industries you find most demanding? Why?

When we talk about quality demands like cGMP, it is found more in pharma industries. Whereas large volume / quantity requirements are from chemicals, pesticides and agrochemical industries, where machines are supposed to run continuously giving outputs in tons/ hours to meet demand from these industries.

Who are your overseas clients?

Our overseas customers are mainly from pharma and pesticide business, who are spread over different continents like North America, South America, Middle East etc. Certain collaborations are made in European market to regularise supply and distribution in their market.

Any expansion plans?

Yes, we do have plans for expansion to meet growing requirements of our different customers.

Tell me about your future plans?

Cipla contacted me for the manufacture of spare parts for pelletization technology and gave me the challenging spare parts to make indigenously. I accepted this challenge and it made me to enter the pelletization technology equipments. In future we will continue to participate in the international exhibitions to develop the new concepts in the same field. We are today specialise in pelletization technology. In the future we will develop more and more machines for the similar field with the higher production out put. We are looking for forward integration in the pharma manufacturing.

sachin.jagdale@expressindia.com