SCHOTT Glass Strenghtens India Facility As Asian Hub

With investments of close to €47 million in India over two years, global pharmaceutical glass manufacturer SCHOTT AG clearly sees the country as a vital cog in its global strategy. Georg Sparschuh, MD, SCHOTT Glass India and Dr Patrick Markschläger, Executive VP, SCHOTT AG, Business Unit Tubing reveal the company's strategy to build India into an Asian hub for SCHOTT pharma tubing, their endeavours to be as sustainable as posssible and how investing in the futures of the communities in which their manufacturing plants are based is simply good business practice

- Viveka Roychowdhury

Twenty-one years after it bought over a company producing pharmaceutical tubing in Jambusar district in Gujarat state, SCHOTT AG has earmarked the plant as a production hub not just for the country, but for SCHOTT pharma tubing in Asia.

The plant is an ideal example of Prime Minister Modi's campaign to “Make in India, for the world.” According to Georg Sparschuh, MD, SCHOTT Glass India, the Jambusar plant had reached up to 40 per cent export rate, in addition to the rapidly growing domestic demand. While domestic demands have been their main focus, the increased capacity with two new tanks is expected to cater to the exports, which may even cross 40 per cent.

Solely owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, the parent company SCHOTT AG is present across many sectors besides pharma and life sciences, including home appliances, electronics, optics, automotive and aviation industries. The company has production sites and sales offices in 34 countries.

In fiscal year 2017/2018 (October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018), Mainz, Germany headquartered company clocked global sales of Euro 2.08 billion in 34 countries, with Europe's share the highest (46 per cent, Euro 963 million; 9,450 employees).

The Asia and South Pacific region made up 25 per cent of sales (Euro 517 million; 2,800 employees) with North America in the third place, with 23 per cent sales (Euro 475 million; 2,050 employees). The annual report does not provide a break out of sales per segment, but Dr. Patrick Markschläger, Executive VP, SCHOTT AG, Business Unit Tubing indicated that pharmaceuticals - Pharmaceutical Tubing and Packaging - is the biggest business for SCHOTT Glass.