Homoeo drug firm SBL to up exports, eyes 35% growth

SBL Pvt Ltd, a manufacturer of homeopathic drugs, is eyeing an increase in export revenues and aiming 35 per cent growth by the end of the year.

The Delhi-based company has launched RelaxHed, a therapy for all kinds of headaches, in Gujarat and other parts of the country.

SBL plans to achieve sales of at least Rs one crore from RelaxHed in this fiscal year.

"Several medicines are available both in the allopathic and homeopathic medicine systems for headaches. While allopathic medicines only help numb the pain, RelaxHed actually cures it completely. This drug has been launched after extensive research and tested on a number of men, women and children suffering from headaches of varying intensities," said Rajneesh Chandan, sales manager of SBL.

The medicine, available in both liquid as well as tablet form, will be priced at Rs 70 a bottle. The medicine should be consumed for 20 days for best results.

"Effectively, the cost of the dose per day will turn out to be not more than Rs 2 and the drug will be available extensively," the sales manger said.

Chandan said SBL achieved sales worth Rs 30 crore in the fiscal year ended March 2004 and grew at around 35 per cent, which is among the highest in the industry.

"We expect to continue growing at this rate and will cross a sales turnover of Rs 40 crore by the end of the current fiscal year," he said.

SBL markets its products through a network of 400 authorised dealers and a sales field force that services homeopathic pharmacies and doctors.

"The company does not intend to start its own branded chain of clinics, instead, it will concentrate on the core business of manufacturing drugs,"said Chandan.

Chandan said the company has already been exporting drugs to countries of the Indian sub continent, and a very small amount to the US, Canada, Australia and Netherlands.

"At present, exports do not constitute more than 10 per cent of our sales, but in the next three years, SBL intends to increase export sales to over Rs 20 crore. We are looking at several European and other markets for exports of our products," he said.

SBL is has an ISO 901:2000 certification awarded by the TUV Certification body of RWTUVV Anlagentechnik GmbH of Germany.

It has facilities at Sahibabad in UP, at Jaipur in Rajasthan and at Majitar in Sikkim.