US drug packaging major West Pharmaceutical Services has announced that it has set up a manufacturing plant in Chennai, India. The plant is about 55 kms from Chennai in Sri City Special Economic Zone.

The company said in its official statement that it is investing about $15 million in the plant that will help the company expand its primary packaging for injectable medicines business.

Mr Donald E Morel, Jr., West's chairman and chief executive officer said, "West is experiencing a very exciting period of growth and business expansion in Asia and we are proud to open our first facility in India. With more and more pharmaceutical customers establishing operations in India, our new plant will help West meet market demand and further establishes the company's presence in this growing and dynamic market."

As per a news report, West Pharma had signed a 99-year lease on 72,800 sq m in Sri City in June 2012. Construction on a 15,300 sq m facility began in August 2012. The company has said that this facility will produce seals used in primary packaging of injectable medicines manufactured by West's pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical customers in India and the wider Asia Pacific region. News reports explained that the company had no future plans to expand production at the site to include West's elastomer component business.

"This investment is important to our strategy of partnering with customers in India and the Asia Pacific region to help them provide medicines to patients more efficiently, reliably and safely," said Mr Warwick Bedwell, president, Pharmaceutical Packaging Systems, Asia Pacific region.

He added, "With the facility complete, we anticipate a reduction in lead times for supply to our customers in India. By leveraging our global sourcing activities and process engineering expertise, we expect to be able to carefully manage the overall costs of production."