Agilent sees more revenues from govt

Agilent Technologies Inc, an over $5.8-billion measurement company, expects the government sector in India to generate optimal revenues this calendar year, as compared with the pharma sector “as the latter is facing the slowdown heat,” said Sanjeev Dhar, country head (sales – life sciences and chemical analysis group).

“Slowdown has cast a shadow on the pharma industry for plenty of reasons. However, the government investments continue to be very strong, especially in biotechnology, life sciences, food, safety and quality testing. In the past (till 2008), the revenue contribution from the pharma sector was about 70 per cent and the rest from the government. This year it will be 50:50,” he told Business Standard.

Agilent Technologies witnessed 27 per cent of its revenues coming from Europe in 2008, while the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 37 per cent and 36 per cent respectively.

Dhar said the company would expand into the omics (comprehensive analysis of a specific layer in a cellular system) segment, CRO (contract research organisation), academia, government and other life sciences applications in the country.

Agilent on Tuesday launched its new gas chromatograph (GCs) in the Indian market. The product can be used to test volatile and non-volatile components in pharma substances, specialty chemicals, environmental and food, flavours and fragrances segments.

“We are targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), academia and government testing labs at the local district level to market this tailor-made equipment and we intend to garner a quarter of the business from the SME sector worldwide, of which a larger chunk will come from India,” he added.

According to him, the total addressable market for measuring equipment stands at $20 billion globally while it is pegged at $700 million (Rs 3,500 crore) in India, which has a potential of 1,500 GC units.

Dhar said the company’s 10-acre greenfield campus at Manesar, being developed at an outlay of $35 million (approximately Rs 165 crore), is nearing completion and would be fully operational by this year end. “The campus, where a centre of excellence for life sciences will also come up by December, will have 1,500 employees, which will cater to Agilent’s captive operations,” he said.

Agilent has a research and development (R&D) centre in Bangalore housing 140 staff, its eight facility outside the US, which besides showcasing its complete life science related technology offerings, serves as a training and demo centre for customers in India.

The company currently has offices in seven metros and new offices are planned in Goa and Pune in the next six to eight months.