Leveraging the rising opportunities in bio-catalysis, probiotics
Thane-based research-driven company Advanced Enzymes Technology garnered a revenue of Rs 510.69 crore during the financial year 2020-21 in the enzymes space, exhibiting a growth of 14 per cent as compared to Rs 449.63 crore generated in the previous year. With a workforce of more than 750 employees, around 68 enzymes and probiotics in its portfolio, 7 R&D and 9 manufacturing units, the company caters to diversified industries and verticals like human nutrition, animal nutrition and bioprocessing. In -anuary 2021, the company completed the acquisition of SciTech Specialities Private Limited (SSPL), a contract manufacturing company with niche technology specialising in effervescent granules and tablets. The acquisition has strengthened the company’s manufacturing capabilities by adding two manufacturing facilities for nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, taking the count from seven to nine. In FY21, human nutrition vertical comprising active ingredient for nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals contributed 75 per cent of the revenues followed by animal nutrition and bio-processing contributing 9 and 14 per cent respectively and SciTech (new subsidiary) contributed 2 per cent. Due to the pandemic, and lockdown restrictions as imposed from time to time, the logistics costs rose significantly, the deliveries also took longer, and lower consumption of animal feed product range, this impacted the Animal Nutrition business. A large chunk of the animal feed business comes from domestic markets. The Bio-processing business comprises the food and the non-food businesses. With regard to the food business, the company’s focus in FY20-21 was primarily on the European market. Due to lower consumption, slow growth was witnessed. The non-food business consists of the industrial processes like textile processing and effluent treatment, paper and pulp, leather, and laundry solutions, etc. The company has several enzymes for the food processing segment, have filed 12 dossiers with the European Food Safety Authority and got positive news for 4 of the product dossiers. Advanced Enzyme plans to launch more products on immunity development, digestion improvement, and increase nutritional level of feed. The company is also in the advanced stage to launch its own B2C nutraceutical online platform targeting Indian customers this segment is expected to be the next interesting growth driver for the company. Advanced Enzyme is also exploring other online avenues for selling the products through parallel online sales channels. The company is making significant investments in developing state-ofthe-art R&D facilities and intends to set trends in the R&D areas mainly for the formulation of new applications and shall continue to significantly invest to build its portfolio with focus on applications and industries. It is also looking to expand and strengthen the R&D team. Advanced Enzymes is working towards providing eco-safe solutions to a wide variety of industries like human health care and nutrition, animal nutrition, baking, fruit and vegetable processing, brewing and malting, grain processing, protein modification, dairy processing, speciality applications, textile processing, leather processing, paper and pulp processing, bio-fuels, biomass processing, bio-catalysis, etc.
The world is becoming increasingly aware of the harmful effects of chemicals on health. Natural alternatives to boost the immune system are gaining increased traction, which puts us in good stead to leverage the rising opportunities in the areas of bio-catalysis and probiotics.”