$37 million will be invested in automation technologies.
Polish-based Polpharma Group plans to invest $37 million into digital automation technologies in order to boost production at the company’s Shymkent Chimpharm plant located in South Kazakhstan. All work done on the plant will be in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice global standards. Polpharma Group is looking forward to modernizing the facility in order to optimize the production process and further increase efficacy.
The digitization project will include IT infrastructure development and production digitization. The company will also invest funds into improving quality control and quality assurance and developing new treatments. Plant head, Rustam Baigarin, commented on the investment and the site’s progress: “The construction and modernization of all major production facilities and auxiliary logistic sites have been completed at the Shymkent-based Chimpharm plant. The investment program will now focus on new projects in the field of digitization and automation of production and support processes, as well as projects in the field of management and quality control systems,” he explained.
A new laboratory is also planned for the site, which will update all Research and Development equipment; this will also include an update for the logistics facilities; Polpharma Group will use this opportunity to launch a new section of non-sterile solutions next month. The company has been a dominant force in pharma since it began operations in the country in 2009.
Baigarin commented on the details of the investment: “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 described of the nature of the deal.
Funds will also go towards automating and digitizing 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. Polpharma Group currently employs over 1,200 people, and this investment is sure to create more jobs in the South Kazakhstan region. The technological revamp project brings the company closer to “Industry 4.0” and a fully automated, operational facility.