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India is one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical markets worldwide and is increasingly becoming a hub of innovation for biosimilars, injectables, cell and gene, ADC’s and complex biologics. Optima India was founded in 2011 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Optima Group. Since then, the site has developed from a pure sales organization into a comprehensively positioned unit with a strong focus on service and engineering.
Against this backdrop, we spoke with Akshay Chikodi, Managing Director of Optima India, about market potential, growth, and the strategic direction of the company.
India is positioned to become the 3rd largest economy by 2030 hence it is imperative for Optima group be a part of this growth story. Optima India as a subsidiary offers the platform for cost optimization, speed & scale which can be leveraged for growth in the domestic market, and also open global avenues.
For us, India is not only a growth market, but also a market undergoing structural change. In addition to the strong generics business, we see a clear trend toward innovative therapies, complex biologics, cell and gene, ADC’s, and modern, integrated fill-finish solutions. This is precisely where we can make a lasting contribution with our experience and technological expertise.
Think global act local! What began in 2011 as a sales organization is now a broad-based unit with around 50 employees and growing further in sales, service, and engineering. We operate a sales and service office in Bangalore and an engineering center in Pune, which works closely with our global teams. In addition, we have established a service hub in Ahmedabad as the same has a huge install base of Optima machines in western India. Optima India also acts as a reseller for spares.
Our growth is closely linked to the dynamics of the Indian pharmaceutical market. Demand is rising significantly, particularly in the area of injectable drugs – both in the generics segment and for innovative products. At the same time, we are investing specifically in expanding our service and engineering capabilities. Today's customers expect not only high-quality machines, but also comprehensive support throughout the entire life cycle. This demand has played a key role in shaping our growth.
We see ourselves as an integrated solution provider for filling and closing machines, isolators, and freeze dryers, not just a machine supplier. Our local service team has extensive expertise in installation, commissioning, maintenance, qualification, training, and automation for new machines, and also handle refurbishment and upgrades for existing lines.
In addition, we distribute spare parts directly in India through the reselling business and are expanding our range to include refurbished components. This enables shorter delivery times and significantly increases plant availability. At the same time, engineering and service team work closely together to develop cost-efficient and locally adapted solutions.
Service is a central component of our value proposition. Our aim is not only to respond quickly, but also to create real added value and build long-term partnerships. We rely on regionally based service teams, modular service packages, and continuous training for our employees. Our goal is to be as close as possible to our customers' production lines.
Our focus is clearly on further expanding our local expertise. We want to establish a strong knowledge and engineering pool in India and gradually take on more responsibility locally. A significant step was the acquisition of engineering talent in Pune and starting a competence center for engineering that works closely with the HQ to have competitive solutions with speed and scale. An excellence center for services that caters not just Indian market but global needs.
Optima India stands for long-term partnership, technological excellence, and sustainable growth. We continuously invest in innovation, digitalization, and local expertise. Our goal is to actively develop the Indian pharmaceutical market together with our customers. To develop a strategic reliable partnership.
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