Goa: FETTE COMPACTING MACHINERY INDIA PVT. LTD. (FCI), part of the LMT Group-Germany is the world leader in Tablets manufacturing Press. Having revolutionized the tablet manufacturing process through their high speed, high efficient products; FCI is going beyond the ordinary.

On March 11th, 2011, FCI launches the first ever Competence Centre in India at Verna Industrial Estate, Goa. This is the fourth such centre outside of Germany. A whopping 600,000 Euros have been invested in developing this specialty centre.

• What’s a Competence Centre?

The Fette Compacting Competence Centre also referred as an Centre of Expertise (COE), is launched with the objective of ACCOMPANYING OUR CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE. Fette Compacting has made it a rule to stand by the side of customers in every situation as a competent partner – globally. Fette Compacting accompanies all phases of the product life cycle of a tablet press from consultation to service and maintenance, up to customer-specific process optimization through this Competence Centre.

• What facilities are available in the Competence Centre?

LAB FACILITIES: The Fette Compacting Lab Facilities are intended to provide a service to both potential and existing customers. Fundamental research, compression trials and sample production are carried out in the context of ongoing operation. Additionally, presentations of current press models are organized, and consulting meetings are offered. In the Competence Centre in Goa, customers can run trials on the most updated machines under production conditions.

BASIC TRIALS: Basic trials involve investigation of the material properties of the mixture that the customer is using for his product idea in the light of the various requirements of compression.

The experience of the Lab Facilities staff and engineers plays a particularly important role here. The results are not merely recorded, but are interpreted. This may lead to suggestions from Fette Compacting as to how the granulate can be made easier to process.

· Investigation of whether a customer′s product can be compressed (customer has product idea, EC safety data sheet required)

· Determination of bonding capacity, flow ability and ejection forces

· Determination of achievable tablet hardness (adequate stability for packaging and transport)

TECHNICHAL CONSULTING and proof of concept: The basis for consulting at a very high technical level is due to the decades of know-how assimilated at Fette Compacting.
In particular:
a) Through technology transfer with customers who are the users of high-performance rotary presses around the world and with technical colleges,
b) Along with the permanent optimization of this knowledge in accordance with the latest technology.
c) The Competence Centre will be connected online to the experts in Germany and US whereby the customers can gain first hand inputs on:

· Explanations of the rotary presses proposed

· The principle behind the selection

· Explanation of the primary components required for successful compacting

· Consulting on the manufacture of products or on granulates for improved handling on the press

TRAINING: Fette Compacting tablet presses bring high performance into the customer’s production operation. Although they are simple to operate and have integrated help functions, the operators need to be properly trained and qualified. The training units are structured to keep in step with the learning process of the trainees and to meet the exact requirements of the production operation.

On offer is a modular training program that comprises of practical, application-oriented knowledge and skills. Upon request, coaching will provided to customer’s operating and maintenance staff at their plant and on their machines as well. However, it is preferable to train them at our Competence Centre, as it is ideally designed for uninterrupted intensive training.

• What’s the investment into this facility? What will be produced in this facility?

Close to 600,000 Euros is invested in this facility. There will be no production in this facility.

• Are there any orders already placed by customers?

We have supplied close to 80 machines to customers spanning major Indian pharma companies such as Cipla, Lupin, Dr.Reddy’s, IPCA, Micro Labs apart from MNCs such as GSK, Ranbaxy, Sanofi Aventis, Ratio Pharma, etc.

• How will it positively enhance the bottom line of Indian pharma majors?

The technology of the machine enhances the overall productivity equation.