Water is one of the most important and primary requirements in the pharma industry. Alfaa UV’s products help to provide water that would match US FDA standards for various pharma processes. Ankur Parikh, Director-Industrial UV, Alfaa UV, reveals more to Sachin Jagdale
What are your services for the pharma industry?
Alfaa Biopure Series UV systems are used in washing lines, loop lines, liquid oral lines and for reduction in TOC and ozone in the pharma industry.
Alfaa Biopure Series UV systems help provide bacteriologically safe water of the highest possible standards and systems as demanded by regulatory bodies such as US FDA quality procedures, including current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP).
Pharma products are sensitive in nature. Do you need to make any specific improvisations in your services while handling this sector?
Since water quality plays a critical role in the manufacture of pharma products, (90 per cent of the product is water) it needs to be bacteriologically pure at all times, especially during the process. Normally it takes 48 hours to know if the water is safe (bacteriologically), by which time the batch is already manufactured. In effect it becomes a post mortem to know if a batch has passed or failed. Alfaa Biopure Series UV systems therefore incorporate an online validation tool which is a UV Monitor to ascertain in real time if the water quality is meeting its requirement or not. We are the only company to give you validated documentation conforming to the requirements of the US FDA to ensure that the process meets its quality requirements.
Can you explain the concept of a microprocessor controlled water purifier?
The user-friendly digital controller provides extensive functionality and data logging capabilities. It can be easily interfaced to SCADA systems to extend functionality. It helps the customer know how many hours the UV lamp has been used and when it is due for replacement. This ensures that the customer replaces the lamp at prescribed intervals. Coupled with the UV Monitor, (which is the online validation tool), it ensures that the water quality meets its requirements with reference to the absorption coefficient (transmission of UV). It also detects whether the UV intensity has gone down due to low voltage; low or high water temperature; or ionic salts which absorb UV. In short, the digital controller, coupled along with the UV intensity monitor, is vital to help the customer know the proper functioning of the UV system.
Who are your pharma clients?
Practically every company in the pharma and bio-pharma industry relies on Alfaa UV for disinfection of process water. Some prominent pharma players like Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson, Cipla, Ranbaxy, Alchem, Wokhardt, Smithkline Beecham, Bayer, and Sun Pharma are satisfied Alfaa UV users, amongst several others, and have installed our purification systems across most of their manufacturing plants.
What is your market share in India?
Alfaa UV is the undisputed leader in industrial UV systems in India with a market share of 70 per cent. In the pharma sector Alfaa UV’s market share is as high as 90 per cent.
What percentage of your revenue comes from the Indian market?
80 per cent of our revenues come from the Indian market. Exports are growing at a rapid pace too.
How will you differentiate yourself from your competitors?
We are the only company to provide UV systems which have been designed from ground up to specifically cater to the high purity water distribution loops in pharma manufacturing units. The systems are optimised to provide high UV doses in an extremely small footprint utilising high output UV lamps. The Biopure Series UV Systems incorporate unmatched features such as on-line UV dose, sanitary vessel and sensor design, remote lamp operation, dual remote feedback to plc, plus many more sophisticated and advanced features for total safety, reliability and real time monitoring during the process. Apart from this, an excellent service backup throughout India ensures that the downtime for the systems is the least, and that the systems function at their peak.
Besides the pharma industry, which are the other industries you cater to?
Alfaa UV systems are the preferred choice of the food and beverage industry, marine foods, mineral water, poultry, distilleries, cosmetic industry, bulk drugs, hospitality sector, paint industry, automobile industry, hospitals, construction industry, and in the recycle and reuse of waste water, across all industries and commercial complexes.