Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., a global player in serving science, has opened its first center of excellence for chromatography consumables and specialty products within Pharmez, a pharmaceutical Special Economic Zone in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
The center will provide enhanced application support for customers working across a broad range of applications including pharmaceutical, environmental, food and beverage industries in the Asia-Pacific region. This 3,500 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility is adjacent to the company’s existing clinical packaging facility Fisher Biopharma Services which it built in 2008.
While this would be the company’s first center of excellence in the Asia Pacific region, the company has made an initial investment of Rs 4.49 crore (US$ 1 million) in setting up the center. The company will start its operations with a team of four scientists at the center.
"We foresee that a lot of global pharmaceutical companies are looking at expanding their footprint in India and so this was a logical step for us. Based on the company’s 2010 full year revenues, the Asia Pacific region contributes to 12 percent to the total sales of the company. We aim to target a 25 percent growth in the next decade in the Asia Pacific region and are eyeing a 13 percent revenue from the region. Our investment here brings us in closer proximity to our customers and offers a local resource for technical and product support," said Syed Jafry, senior vice president and president, Asia-Pacific and South America, Thermo Fisher Scientific, said, while announcing the opening of the center.
Scientists at this facility will work closely with the Thermo Fisher technical support team in Runcorn, England, to develop new applications and methods for chromatography and sample preparation and provide technical support and training for Asia-Pacific customers.