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Himalaya Wellness to invest Dh120 million to set up herbal pharmaceutical factory in DIC

Dubai - Advanced facility will produce high-quality herbal pharmaceuticals to boost global trust and confidence in Made in UAE products.

Dubai Industrial City (DIC), one of the region’s largest manufacturing and logistics hub, has announced that Himalaya Wellness has signed an agreement to build Dh120 million state-of-the-art herbal pharmaceutical plant that will be producing three billion tablets, 15 million syrup bottles and three million units of ointment annually at Dubai Industrial City.

Himalaya, with over 90-plus years of herbal expertise, is a world-leading producer of over 300 herbal medicines, nutritional supplements, skin care, hair care, oral care, baby care and animal health products. The new herbal pharmaceutical facility in Dubai Industrial City will create hundreds of specialised jobs and export medicines to over 100 countries.

The signing ceremony was attended by Abdulla Belhoul, chief commercial officer of Dubai Holding Asset Management; Saud Abu Al Shawareb, managing director of Dubai Industrial City; Shailendra Malhotra, Global CEO of Himalaya Wellness; and Jatin Brahmecha, Global CFO of Himalaya Wellness.

The commercial production at the new facility will start in the first quarter of 2024. The proposed factory will sit on 760,000 sq. ft of prime land and will be the first of three facilities Himalaya will build in Dubai Industrial City. The herbal pharmaceutical facility will be followed by dedicated units for Personal care products and Functional foods in future.

Belhoul said: “In line with the vision of our leadership, the UAE continues to consolidate its status as a global leader thanks to a raft of infrastructure investments, new initiatives and regulations. Combined, these factors have created a competitive and enabling industrial ecosystem. Under Operation 300Bn, the manufacturing of pharmaceutical and medical products is a crucial segment, and our partnership with Himalaya is another milestone that will contribute towards achieving the nation’s ambitious plans for the industrial sector.”

The plant will be built to the highest standards recognised by the World Health Organisation, the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicine Agency’s good manufacturing practices. It will enhance global trust and confidence in high-quality Made in UAE products, boost medical security, and support the nation’s industrial strategy, Operation 300Bn.

Al Shawareb said: “Stimulating growth in the pharmaceutical industry by increasing domestic medicine production is of vital national importance in line with the vision of our leaders for economic diversification. We are delighted to enter into this agreement with the leading wellness company Himalaya and believe our competitive ecosystem, with advanced infrastructure and an easy setup process, is the perfect place for its next phase of growth. For more than a decade, we have been a strategic driver and enabler of Dubai’s knowledge and innovation-based economy and today’s announcement is the latest step forward in our ongoing efforts to position this city as a global hub for advanced manufacturing and logistics.”

Research and Development

Himalaya pioneered the use of modern science to discover and validate nature’s secrets by employing cutting edge research. Established in 1930, the company has focused on developing safe, natural, and innovative products that help people lead healthier lives.

Today, the company operates a “Seed-to-Shelf” model where captive farmland is used to grow organic herbs free from pesticides and insecticides. It has operations all around the world and established its UAE presence in the year 2000, followed by setting up its R&D centre ‘Himalaya Global Research Centre’ in Dubai Science Park in 2013.

Established in 2004, Dubai Industrial City is home to more than 750 businesses and hundreds of advanced factories using fourth industrial revolution technologies to make everything from car parts to coffee. Its ease of doing business, advanced infrastructure, logistics network, availability of raw and packaging materials, and access to specialised talent has cemented Dubai’s position as a global destination for investment and innovation.

“Wellness in every Home, Happiness in every Heart” is our mission. Research backed Innovation has been at the centre of every Himalaya product. After over 20 years of successful operations in the region, we have decided to build the manufacturing facility here for our herbal pharmaceuticals. We pride ourselves on being environment friendly and this facility would be Leeds certified - Green Building. Our flagship brands like Liv.52 & Cystone are household names in many countries and the proposed manufacturing facility will be supplying to over 100 countries. The objective is to increase our global manufacturing capacity for herbal medicines, and we decided on UAE due to its strategic location, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and efficient business environment. UAE has been the cornerstone of Himalaya’s global success and this partnership with Dubai Industrial City shall further reinforce our global strategy,” concluded Malhotra.

— business@khaleejtimes.com