Your Chennai plant was expected to generate profits by early 2016. What is the current status? What plans have been chalked out to expand production at the site to include elastomer components?

We are pleased with the progress of our Chennai plant and it is developing in line with our overall strategic plan for the company, which also includes greater geographic expansion in the coming years. Currently, the facility is fully operational and manufacturing various offerings from our product portfolio of seals.

The site was built to spur expansion. and we do have space to grow. In addition to accommodating more seals business, there’s potential to produce other West product offerings in response to regional market demands.

What are the India-specific challenges for your company? What are the major gains for West Pharmaceutical Services since its inception in India?

Many of the challenges we see in India are similar to what our customers are experiencing across the globe. First, there is a need for high quality components to meet increased regulatory scrutiny. Also, speed to market is an important factor for our customers. To help customers bring their products to market faster, we established a comprehensive global supply chain network that includes the necessary infrastructure for the Asia Pacific region.

Since the inception of West Pharmaceutical Services in India, we have partnered with pharma and biotech companies who have injectable product portfolios that align with our packaging and delivery offerings. Today, injectable formulations are one of the fastest growing dosage forms in India due to investments in injectable dosage form manufacturing facilities and the progression of biosimilars to commercial products.