Ashland Targets India Pharma Market with New Manufacturing Plant

Ashland, a global leader in specialty pharmaceutical excipients has announced the groundbreaking of a fourth Life Sciences’ aquarius film coatings manufacturing facility, located in Ambernath, Maharashtra, India. The new site is the company’s first tablet coatings manufacturing facility in South Asia and represents the largest manufacturing commitment in India to date. The Life Sciences business currently manufactures tablet coatings in the United States, China and Brazil.

The new facility is strategically planned and strengthens Ashland’s ability to serve one of the world’s most dynamic pharmaceutical markets. With proximity to Mumbai and seamless connectivity to key pharma clusters including Pune, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, the site is ideally positioned to support India’s thriving generic drugs industry and expanding export footprint.

“Our Life Sciences strategy is to deliver organic growth while advancing our pharmaceutical excipients manufacturing footprint closer to the markets we serve,” said Alessandra Faccin Assis, senior vice president and general manager, Life Sciences and Intermediates. “Establishing our aquarius™ tablet coatings facility in Ambernath reflects a clear strategic decision to localize excellence and innovation, strengthen supply chain resilience and deliver consistent, world-class quality across our global operations.”

“Our new facility reflects a clear strategic view of how Ashland is supporting the Asia Pacific pharmaceutical market. India is already the world’s leading supplier of generic medicines, and its formulation sector continues to grow at an exceptional pace,” said Saju Joseph, general manager, Life Sciences APAC and regional director. “Our decision to establish this plant in India is anchored in strong infrastructure, a highly skilled talent base and proximity to key customer centers. For our customers across India and South Asia, this translates into shorter lead time, reliable supplies, localized technical engagement and a partner aligned with their growth.”