Lupin Ramps Up Capacity At Mp Facilities

Pharma major Lupin has increased the manufacturing capacity of various products at its formulations plants at Aurangabad and Mandideep in Madhya Pradesh.

Following the expansion, Lupin has doubled its capacity to 10 million tablets a month from 5 million. The capsules manufacturing capacity has gone up to 55 million capsules a year from 2 million in 2000-01, while the bottle capacity has shot up to 7.2 million a year from 2.4 million.

"We have enhanced installed capacities of various products, introduced a stronger automation and raised quality standards. It has also contracted the manufacturing time by 30 per cent across certain products, reduced power consumption, spares scrap and packaging costs," Lupin said in its annual report for 2001-02.

The monthly capacity of Lisinopril has gone up to 550 kg from 350 kg, 7 ACCA from 3.5 tonne to 5.5 tonne, Cephalexin from 35 tonne to 39 tonne, Cefaclor and Cefadroxil from 7 tonne to 10 tonne and the monthly capacity of 7 ADCA is at 40 tonne in 2001-02 from 35 tonne in 2000-01.

The Rs 965 crore company's major capital expenditure has been completed and asset investments in the future will be for balancing equipment. Lupin will focus on reducing debt in order to strengthen the balance sheet and lower interest cash outgo.

The company's total loan portfolio increased from Rs 617.04 crore to Rs 627.97 crore, a rise of Rs 10.93 crore. The secured loans of Lupin dropped sharply from Rs 506.54 crore to Rs 504.51 crore in the last fiscal.

Lupin has scaled up its investments in research and development (R&D) during the last fiscal. The R&D spent has gone up to 23.14 crore (in 2001-02 to Rs 13.96 crore in 2000-01. Total R&D expenditure of Rs 53.56 crore (including capital and recurring costs) accounts for 5.6 per cent of the company's turnover.