ASTANA – Poland’s Polpharma Group will invest an additional $37 million to digitise and further automate production at its Shymkent Chimpharm plant in South Kazakhstan.
Photo credit: Kazakh Invest
“The construction and modernisation of all major production facilities and auxiliary logistic sites have been completed at the Shymkent-based Chimpharm plant. The investment programme will now focus on new projects in the field of digitisation and automation of production and support processes, as well as projects in the field of management and quality control systems,” said plant head Rustam Baigarin.
The main objectives of the investment programme are IT infrastructure development, production digitisation, improving quality control and quality assurance and developing new medicines.
Plans include constructing a new laboratory to upgrade the infrastructure and research and development equipment as well as modernising logistics facilities. A new section of non-sterile solutions will be launched in March.
The long-term contract system with domestic producers, with a single distributor supplying medicine for health care needs, has operated in the country since 2009.
“The company signed five agreements for guaranteed supplies in medical institutions nationwide. Long-term contracts allow investors to get contracted sales volume that stimulates the creation of new, modern and competitive pharmaceuticals. Investors also receive preferences through investment contracts with the Kazakh Ministry of Investment and Development. Soft loans issued by the Development Bank of Kazakhstan are provided for domestic producers. Various tools and mechanisms were developed to support domestic producers and investors. These opportunities are useful for our company to obtain the greatest possible efficiency,” he added.
The country is currently working to introduce the key elements of Industry 4.0. Digital production technologies will improve the activities of local enterprises and optimise production processes.
Photo credit: Kazakh Invest
“We are pleased that the Polpharma Group is expanding its production in the pharmaceutical market by introducing innovative technologies. This is the fourth stage of modernisation. Thanks to additional reinvestment, new jobs will be created in the South Kazakhstan region,” said Kazakh Invest South Kazakhstan regional director Dauletkozha Mamyrov.
The plant modernisation is being performed in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice international standards.
Financing will also be provided to automate and digitise the main and auxiliary production processes, including Cloud HR (an innovative IT solution in personnel management), smart warehouse management system at production sites, an automated accounting system for maintenance and repair costs, material and human resources management planning and automating production quality assurance.
The company employs more than 1,200 people and the staff took part in equipment manufacturing training at Polpharma Group enterprises abroad. The company has registered 115 medications covering 12 pharmacological groups and produces injections and infusions, tablets, capsules, sachet powders, aseptic powdered antibiotics, non-sterile solutions and syrups.
Polpharma Group, one of the top 20 leading manufacturers of generic medications globally, has six production plants, six research centres and employs more than 7,300 people. Sales volume is more than $1 billion per year. The company’s portfolio includes in excess of 600 products and more than 230 medications are being developed.
