The Hindu Business Line : Johnson Matthey to supply pharma catalyst products

THE 4.3-billion pound sterling, UK-based multi-products company, Johnson Matthey is all set to supply catalyst products tailored to Indian needs and use India as a launching pad for their Asian ambitions.

"We are looking to provide process catalyst and technological services to the Indian pharmaceutical industry. What we essentially do is aid the customer in getting his desired product. In other words tailor a reaction to a customer's needs," Mr L.C. Pentz , Executive Director, process catalysts and technologies, Johnson Matthey said.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr Pentz said that he was looking at a 10 per cent-15 per cent growth annually in the catalyst sector of the pharma industry, which is commensurate with the market trend. The company has set up a precious metal process catalyst facility at MIDC Taloja, Maharashtra. The new plant, representing an investment of about Rs 25 crore, will manufacture high quality precious metal catalysts mainly for the pharmaceutical industry.

While their presence in the pharma sector may be relatively new, the company is no stranger to the Indian market as it has been a significant player in the auto industry.

"We have been a major supplier of auto catalysts to the Indian car market and also have a autocatalytic facility in Gurgaon in North India," Mr Pentz said. The company, which manufactures catalysts for automobile emission control, counts Maruti and GM among its leading car clients in the country.

Claiming that they are in for the long haul, the company is also looking at providing catalyst products for other user industries such as manufacturers of petrochemical products.

"We have the capacity at the plant here. We expect to be much larger say ten years from now. And once we have strengthened our presence in the pharma industry, we are looking at India serving as a platform for providing precious metal process catalyst for the rest of Asia," Mr Pentz said.

According to Mr Pentz, worldwide it is a $10-billion catalyst market of which the pharma catalyst market is around $2-2.5 million. "In India we believe it is a several million pound sterling market," he adds.

The company, which is the world's leading distributor of platinum group metals and the sole marketing agent for Anglo Platinum, the world's largest producer of platinum is of the view that platinum will remain in deficit for at least a couple of years.

"We are going to see platinum prices rule strong given that platinum supply is in deficit today. That is why mines have announced expansion. This is in sharp contrast to palladium, which is in excess today. Hence one could say that palladium prices are likely to soften," he reasoned.

Currently, the company has four facilities in the country, the assets of which total around 32 million pound sterling.

"Apart from Taloja we have one facility in Kanpur, the autocatalytic facility in Gurgaon and a colour/coating division in the South near Bangalore. Once legislation tightens and car sales grow, we have the facility to expand capacity," he added.

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