Condom maker HLL setting up vaccine project

NEW DELHI - HLL Lifecare, one of the world’s largest condom manufacturers that exports to 33 countries, including Britain and Gulf nations, is setting up a Rs.600-crore “integrated vaccine” project near Chennai, a top official said.

“The Rs.600-crore integrated vaccine project will be a world class facility for producing vaccines, including Hepatitis B vaccines, others required for the government’s immunisation programme and also for exporting to other countries,” HLL Lifecare chairman and managing director M. Ayyappan told IANS.

The vaccine project is coming up at Chengalpet near Chennai, he said unveiling the company’s expansion and diversification plans.

“HLL has been mandated to set up this project as a project of national importance. This is primarily to ensure vaccine security in the country in line with the national health policy,” Ayyappan said.

From a single production facility in Kerala set up in 1969, HLL today has five manufacturing units across the country.

Ayyappan said what made his company different was its commercial success coupled with social commitment. “We would like to encourage people to use protective measures,” he said.

“We have introduced the ‘paan’ (betel leaf) flavoured condoms among sex workers in Mumbai. There is a lot of demand for it now, as most sex workers prefer it,” said Ayyappan.

“We export condoms to 33 nations, including the UK. There is a huge demand for coffee-flavoured condoms in the Middle East.”

Earlier this week, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad inaugurated the Noida complex of the Thiruvanthapuram-headquartered HLL, a “Miniratna” public sector enterprise under his ministry.

“HLL’s annual production capacity today has increased to 1,316 million condoms, making it one of the largest condom manufacturers in the world,” Ayyappan said.

In all, HLL offers 18 condom varieties. “Among all the brands, Moods continues to be popular in Indian and foreign markets,” Ayyappan said.

Recently, HLL commenced exporting to Peru its once-a-week non-steroidal pill Ivyfemme, marketed in India under the Saheli and Novex brand names. Ivyfemme means “friendship flower” in Spanish.

According to Ayyappan, China is not a potential market for his company “as they have their own facilities”.

Apart from Moods and Saheli, the HLL range includes a host of brands such as Crezendo condoms, Preventol emergency contraceptive pills and Confidom/Velvet female condoms.

The company’s business volume touched Rs.870.15 crore last fiscal. “This is expected to cross Rs.1,200 crore in the current fiscal. It was just Rs.100 crore 10 years ago,” Ayyappan said.

HLL has also forayed into the natural products arena, and entered into a strategic alliance with Ayurveda Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, a century-old charitable institution engaged in the practice and propagation of Ayurveda.

Under the partnership, it launched Chyavanules — a granular form of “chyawanprash” — an Ayurvedic herbal preparation widely used as an energiser and immunity booster.

The company will soon manufacture sanitary napkins too, he added.