Coronavirus: ITC repurposes Himachal perfume plant to produce sanitisers

The move follows ITC temporarily stopping manufacture of cigarettes - its main revenue earner - as well as production of non essential items

Cigarettes-to-hotels major ITC has repurposed its recently commissioned perfume manufacturing plant in Himachal Pradesh to make Savlon-bra­nded hand sanitiz er. This is to cater to the surging demand for hygiene products.
 

It will help ITC produce an addi­tional 125,000 lit­res of sanitiser.
 

The firm said it has reduced pric­es of its sanitiser and is working round-the-clock to ensure that the new stocks with revised prices reach the market.
 

“Addressing a larger national requirement during the pandemic, ITC has repurposed its recently commissioned perfume manufacturing facility in Manpura (Himachal Pradesh) to manufacture Savlon Hand Sani­tizer.

This initiative reinforces our effort to enable enhanced production and supply of the Savlon range of hygiene products in the market,” said Sameer Satpathy, CEO (personal care products), ITC.

ITC has stopped the manufacture of cigarettes — its main revenue earner — as well as the production of non-essential items, temporarily. People in the know said the firm’s entire focus is on manufacture and supply of essentials.
 

It had commissioned the said plant in November, which was designed to produce premium fine fragrances. Sources said that before the pandemic hit India, the sanitiser market in India was pegged at Rs 114 crore — a 50 per cent incre­ase over last year.
 

Like its peers in the FMCG category, ITC is also faced with challenges ranging from availability of raw material and workers, as well as logistics issues, which has resulted in production being throttled even for essential items.

“Truck movement — both inter-state and local — has been hit. It will take a few days for the entire eco-system and processes to fall in place. Our effort is to ensure that consumers are not inconvenienced by shortage,” said an ITC spokesperson.
 

After the Covid-19 outbreak, the Centre has taken various steps to motivate sanitiser makers to run their factories on maximum capacity, and had assured them of necessary approvals by states on a priority basis.
 

States were also asked to enhance sanitiser production and ensure availability in the market.