Anglo French to focus on contract work

Bangalore-based Rs 65 crore Anglo French Drugs and Industries is investing Rs 8 crore to modernise its manufacturing units at Peenya in Bangalore and Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Abhay Kanoria, chairman and managing director, Anglo French Drugs and Industries, said the company's strategy is to increasingly scout for contract manufacture orders through increased plant capacity and advanced quality control standards. The plant modernisation will enable the company to launch new products.

He added that Rs 2 crore is to be spent on Bangalore facility which focuses on tablets. An additional Rs 6 crore is being allocated for upgrading injection unit in Pithampur, he added.

The Bangalore unit has attracted contract manufacturing orders from pharma majors including Aventis and has capacity to make 2.50 crore coated tablets and 2.75 crore uncoated tablets per shift. On the another and, Pithampur plant has a capacity to produce 10 lakh ampules (single use) and another 10 lakh vials (multi-dose) per shift.

"These investments are spurred by the encouraging prospects in the global and domestic arena for contract manufacturing", said Kanoria.

He added that contract manufacturing business will continue to be an important portion of their revenue generation component for the next five years. "Currently, the contribution from contract manufacturing is Rs 12 crore to our topline of Rs 68 crore and we expect to double this after modernisation of our units", he added.

With regard to company's product pipeline, Kanoria said, "We plan to consolidate our presence with the existing products and introduce new drugs in pain management, nutraceuticals (drugs with specific health or medical benefits) and for cough-colds to grab a higher market share."

The company's BPlex Forte, a Rs 20 crore brand is ranked third after Pfizer's Becosules and Glaxo SmithKline's Cobadex Forte according to ORG.