Freudenberg Medical is working with most of the industry leading players in India, as well as new upcoming start-ups in the Pharmaceutical, Biotech & Medical devices industry says Falgun Jani, Head of Sales, India, Freudenberg Medical
Rai Umraopati Ray
Considering the competitive medical device market in India, what unique selling points (USPs) does Freudenberg Medical offer in terms of product quality and customer service that sets the company apart from its competitors?
Freudenberg Medical is global contract manufacturer 100% focused on solutions that address the complex challenges of the medical device and pharmaceutical industry. All of our facilities are ISO 13485 certified and all manufacturing is conducted in either Class 7 or 8 clean rooms. Five (5) of our 11 facilities are FDA certified.
At Freudenberg we are very proud of our long-standing business experience in India. Freudenberg has held business ties with customers and partners in this fascinating country for over 100 years. Anticipating our customer’s needs is the foundation of Freudenberg Medical’s success and a reinforcement of our commitment to continuously innovate & enhance the value for our customers.
Can you elaborate on any new products or finished devices that Freudenberg Medical is developing or planning to introduce to the Indian market in the near future? How do these innovations address the specific needs and challenges faced by healthcare providers and patients in India?
In 2022 itself, Freudenberg Medical has introduced 2 new products: HelixTCTM (over-molded Tri-Clamp® ends with in-built gaskets), which can become an ideal choice for critical fluid transfer applications in Pharmaceutical & Bioprocess operations as it greatly reduces bioburden entrapment & leakage situations associated with conventional barb-type TC fittings. HelixTCTM ends are manufactured in a certified clean room with material certification & lot traceability & are available in standard & custom sizes.
HelixFlexTM is a high purity Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) tubing ideal for biopharmaceutical processes requiring heat-sealing or welding applications for easy, fast & safe transfer of critical fluids like biologic products, vaccines etc.
What are some of the key future plans and strategic initiatives that Freudenberg Medical is undertaking to further strengthen its presence and market share in the India region?
Freudenberg Medical’s foray into India by offering local support in India is a decisive step & proof of our commitment to provide the best solutions to the growing needs of India’s Pharmaceutical & Medical devices market. Today, we are working with most of the industry leading players, as well as new upcoming start-ups in the Pharmaceutical, Biotech & Medical devices industry.
India & APAC are on the growth-path, we will continue our efforts to nourish & nurture the diverse & unique needs of Medical device & Pharmaceutical markets in these regions. We will continue to invest into areas of human resource, innovation, product development & supply-chain.
With the medical industry continuously evolving, what new trends do you foresee in the Indian market, and how is Freudenberg Medical planning to adapt to these trends in order to stay ahead of the competition?
Indian healthcare sector is a fastgrowing industry expected to reach $280 billion by 2025. India’s medical devices market is one of the top 20 medical device markets in the world currently valued at $ 11.0 billion and is expected to reach $50 billion by 2025.
India’s healthcare industry comprises hospitals, medical devices, health insurance, clinical trials, telemedicine and medical tourism.
These market segments are expected to flourish as an ageing population with a growing middle class increasingly becoming aware about preventative healthcare.
The domestic telemedicine market is expected to reach US$ 5.5 billion by 2025. Indian medical tourism market was valued at US$ 2.89 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach US$ 13.42 billion by 2026.
Some of the future trends having great growth potential include:
Use of Big data (Utilizing predictive analytics models by gathering data of key vital signs of patients),
Robotics,
wearables,
e-pharmacies,
Point-of-care diagnostics
Home-Healthcare
As of January 2022, the number of medical colleges in India stood at 595. Major hospitals (Apollo, AIIMS, Narayana Hrudayalaya) have adopted telemedicine services like virtual care – constituting tele-consult, telepathology, tele-radiology and e-pharmacy. Many big players such as Apollo, VLCC and Manipal Group are setting up wellness centres across India with traditional healthcare remedies as the focus of their offerings.
The Academica is also stepping-up towards the future of healthcare. In November 2021, the technology innovation hubs of IIT Delhi, iHub foundation and iHub Anubhuti, announced to collaborate for developing India’s first Medical Cobotics Centre (MCC) at IIIT-Delhi. The hubs, funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), will develop training programmes in consultation with leading doctors and healthcare experts.
The Telangana government has joined hands with the World Economic Forum, NITI Aayog and HealthNet Global (Apollo Hospitals) to launch ‘Medicine from the Sky’ project. The project will enable drone delivery of life saving medicines and vaccines to even some of the most remote areas & in those areas with challenging infrastructure.
Utilizing our innovation, R&D & 11 global manufacturing locations, we are currently working very closely with our India customers at every stage of new product development life-cycle right from concepts, designing, material selection, and lean manufacturing processes, etc. to help them to introduce new & improved medical device products for India & global markets in coming 3 to 5 years.
Can you share some specific examples of how Freudenberg Medical’s products have been successfully utilized in improving patient outcomes or streamlining clinical workflows in India?
Most of the Freudenberg Medical’s business is B2B. Hence, we primarily work with medical device manufacturers who utilizes Freudenberg Medical’s innovative products, components, technologies & other services like manufacturing know-how, simulation & R&D etc., to introduce products like catheters, balloons, drug delivery devices etc.
As Head of Sales for the India region, what steps is Freudenberg Medical taking to ensure that its customer base in India continues to grow and remains satisfied with the company’s products and services?
India & APAC are on the growth-path, we will continue our efforts to nourish & nurture the diverse & unique needs of Medical device & Pharmaceutical markets in these regions. We will continue to invest into areas of human resource, innovation, product development & supply-chain.
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