The Hindu Business Line : SRF chalks out plans for pharma chemicals biz

SRF Ltd, the Rs 843-crore industrial synthetics, fabrics and chemicals major, has chalked out major plans for its foray into the pharmaceutical chemicals business.

Having already invested over Rs 23 crore in two manufacturing facilities at its existing chemicals complex in Rajasthan and commissioned a modern R&D centre in Bhiwadi in the last fiscal, the company is currently in the process of setting up another R&D centre at Chennai.

While the Bhiwadi centre is working on high value-added fluorochemicals, the Chennai unit will focus on process development work on advanced intermediates.

SRF is recruiting about 50 scientists who will be in place by end of the current fiscal to undertake research in these centres.

"The company plans to address the market for intermediates for both the pharmaceuticals and the agrochemicals sectors. Going forward, we plan to leverage R&D capabilities to get into custom synthesis and contract manufacturing of these chemicals for the US and EU-based pharmaceutical companies," a senior SRF official told Business Line.

SRF is currently busy conducting trial runs at its two manufacturing facilities.

While one of these plants would be solely dedicated for the production of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), the second unit would be a multipurpose plant capable of producing a broad range of pharmaceutical chemicals and intermediates.

SRF has identified manufacturing of intermediates and advanced intermediates for pharmaceutical industry as a key business segment.

Initially, the company will concentrate on the development of several commercially viable fluorine based chemicals like TFA, the official said.

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