NEPIC SIGNS INDIA AGREEMENT TO BOOST PHARMA INNOVATION & TRADE

Tuesday 15 March 2016, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. NEPIC’s Northern Powerhouse & UK Trade & Investment supported mission to India reached an important milestone today, following the signing of a collaboration agreement with the Karnataka Drug & Pharmaceutical Association (KDPMA).

The agreement, aimed at developing trade and intensifying collaborative innovation projects and signed in the presence of Dominic McAllister, British Deputy High Commissioner in Bengaluru, comes after three years of engagement between the two cluster bodies.

KDPMA represents 72 pharmaceutical manufacturing companies including multinationals such as Astra Zeneca & GlaxoSmithKline, along with many SMEs. These companies are involved in all aspects of drug manufacture much like NEPIC’s pharmaceutical cluster footprint.

The NEPIC–KDPMA collaboration is already bearing fruit with companies from the North East’s pharmaceutical supply chain that have attended the mission, reporting the identification of potential new business opportunities.

Mr James Robson MBE, Chairman of newly formed Wilton centre-based technology company Micropore, said:

“The work that NEPIC has accomplished in India is outstanding. They are incredibly well networked and very highly respected. They have helped many companies identify new business in India and I have also had such an experience this week.

James continued:

“By attending this visit with NEPIC, I have certainly shortened my company’s market entry timescales and de-risked my early business interactions. In a very short space of time I have met several companies who are very interested in our technology and have already started working on plans to fulfil these new business opportunities.”

Dr Stan Higgins, NEPIC’s Chief Executive, said:

“We are delighted to formally recognise the work we are doing with KDPMA and have been developing further plans to enable the members of each of our organisations to meet more regularly and exchange business and technology ideas.”

Mr Sunil Attavar, President of KDPMA, said:

“We are delighted to see our collaboration with NEPIC formalised and are working on plans to bring a delegation to the NEPIC Meet the Members Meeting & Exhibition in June 2016 to further identify business and technology collaborations and strengthen our ties with NEPIC.”

The annual NEPIC North Powerhouse & UKTI trade mission is now in its 9th year, with this year’s mission hosting representatives from HGF, Lambson, Lisam Systems, Micropore, Nzomics Biocatalysis, Exwold, PD Ports, The Creatif Group, Northumbria University and training organisation TTE International.

The week-long trip included visits to chemical and pharmaceutical companies based in Bangalore and Dahej and concludes with attendance and regional speaker slots at the Indian Chemical Council Industry Outlook Conference.

Each region has been specifically targeted by organisers NEPIC & UK Trade & Investment – who have developed special relationships in India over many years – offering focused and non-speculative business meetings with top decision makers in industry.

ENDS//

Photograph caption L-R: Mr Sunil Attavar, President KDPMA, Mr Harish K Jain, KDPMA Secretary and Mr Dominic McAllister, British Deputy High Commissioner with John Brady & Stan Higgins of NEPIC.

 

NOTES TO EDITOR
NEPIC, the North East Process Industry Cluster, is a membership organisation that represents the broad range of inter-related chemistry using industries in North East England. The Cluster works with its 700+ participating member companies to provide a more collaborative environment and ultimately support the long-term sustainable growth of the sector.

This is a globally significant region for the process industry as there are more than 1,400 companies directly involved or in the supply chain of these sectors, generating £26 billion of annual sales, who employ 190,000 people and export £12 billion each year. This is the Northeast’s largest industrial sector and vital to the future of the Northeast economy.

The Cluster’s activities and interactions include: investment growth; skills & education; innovation; communications & marketing; supply chain development; improved connectivity; SME participation growth & increased international awareness.

For more information visit www.nepic.co.uk or contact Louise Gwynne-Jones, PR & Communications Manager, via louise.gwynne-jones@nepic.co.uk or call 01642 442569 / 07808 029 967.

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