‘Our focus is mid and large Indian companies’

Johannes Giessler, Director Sales & Marketing, Perlen Packaging talks to Express Pharma about its strategy for the Indian market and the company’s future prospects

As the global leader in high barrier PVdC films for blister packaging, what are the benefits of high barrier PVdC films over traditional aluminum packaging?

Aluminum is expensive and many products packed in Cold Form (Alu) packs do not require such high barrier. These can easily be packed in high barrier blisters – thus saving cost. The pack size is reduced thus reducing overall cost of packaging and transportation. Also, reduces shelf space on retailer shelf making it attractive for the retailer.

What is the value proposition to justify the higher costs?

The product helps in overall reduction in cost, thus improving product profitability. Also, the product is visible, which is known to have a positive psycological impact on the patient.

What are the further product innovations planned for markets like India, where climate conditions demand more robust packaging?

Innovations in having high barrier and ultra high barrier and keeping the costs down is the focus of Perlen. It is for this reason that Perlen has a new facility coming up in China. This factory will be able to provide European quality at affordable prices to the Asian subcontinent including India.

What are the packaging solutions for highly sensitive/ potent APIs?

Ultra high barrier packaging from Perlen is the answer. This packaging material has been adapted for hundreds of sensitive formulations globally. Perlen can test your product and provide you with data regarding the type of film that will best suit the product.

What is your customer mix as of today, in terms of MNC, mid-sized pharma?

Our focus is mid and large Indian companies who are targeting highly regulated markets like Europe, the US and even Japan. Perlen provides Japanese quality packaging films which meet Japan’s regulatory requirement.

Perlen Packaging’s strategy is to offer pharma clients the highest barrier films in the market. What is the range of your offerings in terms of pharma films and what are the consumer trends shaping this segment?

We have a complete range of barrier properties for water vapour and oxygen barrier. Depending on the requirement and properties of the medicament, the barrier film can be selected from the wide Perlen range.

Perlen Packaging’s new film coating production facility in China is projected to start operations by April this year. What is the role of this new facility in the company’s plans for the Asian market?

The facility equipment are under installation and validation. We expect commercial production to start in April or May 2016. The objective is to meet the demands of the Asia Pacific region – including India from this facility. Once local approvals are obtained, we shall begin marketing the barrier films in china as well.

Perlen Packaging has many local competitors in India and Asia market. What is the strategy for India? How will Perlen be able to match them in terms of pricing? Will the company be able to give Swiss quality at local prices?

Competition is stiff – however, main competition is from products being imported from the US to prepare barrier packaging in India. Perlen will have an edge in terms of pricing and quality compared to existing competition. Once our China facility kicks off, we will not just have the price advantage but also the advantage of deliver times.

What has been the growth of your business in India? Where are the other growth markets, in Asia and globally? What percentage of global revenues come from Asia and specifically India?

We have entered India in a systematic and steady manner. Sampling of our products is on and many companies have put products in our barrier packaging films on stability. 2016 will be a turn around year where we expect to ride high on commercial order which we will receive.

Perlen Packaging clocked annual revenues of euro 120 million in CY2014. What do the CY2015 figures look like? What is the growth percentage?

If all goes will, we expect to book up our China capacities with orders from India. Perlen has been growing at a steady rate and expected to grow with the growth rates similar to the pharma industry – a steady double digit growth.

What is the strategy to grow revenues in CY2016 and to 2020? Globally as well as at a regional and country-level. 

Greater market penetration is the only strategy. Perlen is clear that it will keep its focus on pharma and not get into any other industry.

What are the pharma packaging trends you predict for 2016?

As an immediate need in 2016, cost-effective high barrier packaging is the need of the industry and Perlen is there with its product range.

EP News Bureau – Mumbai