World News

Schott, the German pharmaceutical packaging group, used the first day of Interpack today (24 April) to announce a new joint venture in India.

The firm has entered into a 50-50 partnership with Kaisha Manufacturers Private to open pharma packaging plants in Mumbai and Daman, to add to its existing operations in China and Indonesia.

The venture will make primary glass packaging for the Indian market. The Indian pharma packaging sector is estimated to be growing at 10-15% a year.

Schott's plant in Suzhou, China, has also recently been granted an official licence to make and supply vials and ampoules to the Chinese pharma industry.

"The big markets in the next 10 years for us will be Russia, China and India," said Dr Jürgen Sackhoff, head of Schott's pharma systems business.

The group also plans to open a plant in North America in 2009 to produce syringes.