Scorpion plans PET bottle unit at Baddi

Scorpion Containers is planning a Rs 8 crore polyethylene terepthalate (PET) bottles manufacturing unit at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh by February, said J P N Singh, director of the company.

The Mumbai-based company, which specialises in cargo shipment for the pharmaceutical industry, is already producing 1.25 lakh bottles per day from its another Baddi- based unit, that started operation in September this year. With about 140 pharma companies setting up units in Baddi for tax benefits, Singh expects the new facility to cater to their bottling needs.

"The pharma industry mostly uses 60ml and 100ml bottles and the demand in Baddi itself will be about seven lakh bottles per day. With PET, they can save at least 15 paise per bottle as they are lighter and unbreakable unlike glass bottles. Companies will save freight costs and can avoid losses from breakage," Singh added.

Singh is also the Director of Rs 57 crore Galpha Laboratories. Its new Rs 11 crore liquid line at Baddi will be catered by Scorpion's bottling plant. Scorpion's clientele includes Wincare and Indchemie and is in talks with Lupin, Glenmark and Alembic.

"We are also in talks for contract manufacturing for foreign companies and exploring the African market for exports," he said.

Galpha had earlier announced plans to set up a Rs 15 crore tablet line at Baddi and will seek approval from UK's Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency. Its IPO, which was earlier slated for October, will now be launched by April, added Singh.