Major increase in capacity as Mega Lifesciences opens new Bangpu plant
MEGA LIFESCIENCES, a leading consumer healthcare and pharmaceutical company, yesterday inaugurated its new Bt450-million manufacturing facility in Bangpu, which will almost double the company’s production capacity of soft-gel capsules from 2.1 billion to 3.8 billion per year.The vastly expanded capacity sets Mega up for future expansion in the 29 countries in which the listed company’s branded products are sold.Outlining the developments, Vivek Dhawan, the company’s CEO and chief coach, said the new state-of-the-art facility at Bangpu Industrial Estate, in Samut Prakan, gave the company room to grow and expand to meet future demand for its nutraceuticals, prescription medicines and over-the-counter medicines.In addition to almost doubling production capacity of soft-gel capsules, the facility will boost installed capacity for hard capsules from 113 million to 185 million per year, tablets from 233 million to 342 million, sachets from 15 million to 22 million, as well as a bottle-packaging capacity of 18 million and blister-packaging capacity of 140 million annually from next year.
The new facility also includes significant investments in quality control, quality assurance and product development capabilities. More than 150 Mega specialists are dedicated to these three areas, including in excess of 100 chemists and pharmacists.
Laboratory space has also been significantly expanded, with both the quality control and product development labs expanding by about 80 per cent.
This is backed by accreditation from the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia (gained in 1993), the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM – Germany) since 2001, and other world-leading authorities.
“As a quality pioneer, Mega raises the bar in the industry by producing supplements to strict medicinal standards. Our extra investment in quality, together with our commitment to investing approximately 1.5 to 2 per cent of annual revenue into new product development, will give us the opportunity to raise the bar even further. “It will enable us to further utilise our 627 active product registrations, and bring to market the 138 new products in our pipeline.
“Together, these products will help consumers care for their health, while further strengthening the company’s competitive position,” said Dhawan.
The new plant complements Mega’s two other manufacturing facilities – the recently opened Bt240-million facility outside Melbourne, Australia, and the existing nearby production facility in Bangpu.
“These developments are investments in our future expansion and our mission to bring our positive message to the world: ‘We Care for Human Wellness’,” said the CEO.