Aniruddha Parmar

Director – Business Development & Corporate Affairs

With a strong growth projection in pharmaceutical manufacturing, the demand for new manufacturing plants, technology, and regulatory compliance is also likely to see robust growth. This necessitates the establishment of new factories or the modernization of existing ones to meet the regulatory criteria of these countries' Drug Administration Authorities. India itself is seeing significant growth in the manufacturing of APIs, Formulations, and Biological products. State governments are also looking to entice investors by establishing new industrial parks and expediting statutory approval processes. Overall, we can anticipate a very rapid growth rate in the Pharma Consultants industry in India during the next decade. Several overseas corporations are also expected to enter the market in the coming years.

Spectrum Pharmatech Consultants is one such leader in this segment in India and amongst a handful of consulting companies that provide customers with end-to-end solutions to assist them to realize their dream of establishing a regulatory-compliant facility. Spectrum is also one of a few companies that provide services for the entire gamut of Pharma segments, namely APIs, Formulations, Biopharmaceuticals (such as Biosimilars, Insulin, and Vaccines), R&D Laboratories and Pilot Plants, and so on. Spectrum, with a team of more than 150 professionals and the latest design development tools, such Revit (BIM Modelling), Spectrum is in a unique position to deliver highly accurate designs, drawings, and estimates in very short deadlines, something that only a select few consultants are able to do.

Aniruddha Parmar, Director - Business Development & Corporate Affairs at Spectrum Pharmatech Consultants engages in an exclusive interview with Pharma Industry Outlook, wherein he enlightens us more about the company and its unique traits.

Tell us about the team of Spectrum Pharmatech Consultants. How is your combined experience helping the firm to grow?

Spectrum employs a diverse range of highly experienced and motivated experts with specific backgrounds and qualifications relevant to pharmaceutical industry projects. Spectrum's team consists of highly experienced Industry and Domain specialists as well as exuberant and dynamic young designers and developers. All the senior executives have worked and gone through the labyrinths of the industry, which has resulted in vast knowledge, and experience of how the Pharma Industry operates and what is appropriate in terms of design and meeting cGMP requirements for each environment. The team comprises SMEs, Process Engineers, Architects, Civil & Structural Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers & Designers for HVAC, Clean & Black Utilities, Mechanical & Piping, Fire Fighting, Plumbing Networks, Electrical, Instrumentation & Automation, ETP, and more.

We have always emphasized knowledge upgradation through learning and sharing. Today, Spectrum is known for its highest environmental, health, and safety standards to create safe workplaces and energy-efficient facilities that comply with Green Initiatives, which is the need of the day.

How does the company ensure the consistent quality of its services? Also, how are you leveraging advanced technology and techniques in your operations?

Spectrum is committed to providing its customers with quality services throughout the life cycle of the engagement. Spectrum is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company, the only one amongst its peers, which itself sounds that systems and procedures govern its operations to assure output of set quality standards and consistency. There is a Quality Policy in place, as well as Project Execution Rules and departmental guidelines and formats for each of Spectrum's deliverables.

Apart from Systems and Procedures, Spectrum has embraced new technological platforms that minimize delivery errors. Spectrum generates design drawings using a 3D platform. The entire facility with all its equipment and services is first generated on the system. This is thoroughly checked for errors before being issued to contractors for carrying out their work. Further, Spectrum had developed several in-house applications that aid in the extraction of information directly into accessible forms such as Excel. This reduces the risk of errors that might occur if the information was entered manually. Similarly, guidelines and procedures govern the operation of all departments. Spectrum believes that 'Quality is a journey, not a destination.' System reviews and updates are performed on a regular basis to ensure that the systems are geared to face newer challenges.

What are the factors that differentiate your company from other players in this segment?

Spectrum, unlike many other engineering firms, does not look at a pharmaceutical project like any other engineering assignment. It is dedicated to the pharmaceutical industry and delivers pharmaceutical engineering. Spectrum is now known as the go-to consultant for projects requiring an understanding of complex technologies such as vaccines, oncology, hormones, biologics, and so on. Today, we offer not just design and engineering services, but also full Design- Build, i.e., EPC services across the globe. Other organizations offer turnkey project solutions, but their role is more akin to that of a contractor. Spectrum, having graduated from a design firm, prioritizes design excellence and GMP compliance. That is why, we say, we provide Design-Build services.

How has been the journey of the company since its inception?

Over the years, it's been a roller coaster ride. Spectrum was founded in 1995 as a proprietary company to assist and support the Indian pharmaceutical industry in meeting GMP guidelines from various international regulatory authorities. Spectrum has grown from humble beginnings to become a full-service pharmaceutical consulting firm, serving the Indian pharmaceutical industry set-up facilities from concept to validation. We have spread our reach outside India, providing services to businesses in over 25 countries. We now have joint ventures in Thailand and Sri Lanka to serve the booming ASEAN market and Sri Lanka. We are now developing a Pharma Manufacturing Zone covering around 100 acres in Sri Lanka. We have exclusive marketing representatives in Egypt, Algeria, and Bangladesh. Spectrum takes pride in having completed over 350 projects since its inception in 1995 and having the honor of being associated with leading Indian and Multinational companies.

What is the future roadmap for your company?

Spectrum has evolved from a pure design-engineering firm to one that offers pre and post-project services such as market research, feasibility studies, qualification and validation services, complete documentation services, and so on. We are also now a full-service Design-Build EPC Consultant offering turnkey project solutions.

Continuing its expansion, Spectrum will focus on graduating from offering simply Design & Build solutions to delivering comprehensive integrated solutions, including the transfer of manufacturing technologies to interested customers. The emphasis will also be on building a significant strength to deliver projects in the biopharmaceutical area.