Enzyme market leader

Novozymes South Asia is the leading industrial enzymes player in the country with an estimated sales revenue of Rs 268 crore in 2009-10 as against Rs 250 crore in 2008-09.

As per BioSpectrum survey, the company's market share has dropped down to 55 percent from 65 percent the previous year. The company holds 80-90 percent market share in textiles and in starch followed by a number of formulators in the country. The company also enjoys 50 to 60 percent market share in baking and another 30 to 40 percent share in animal products.

Headquartered in Denmark, Novozymes is a group company of Novo Nordisk. In India, the company is represented by Novozymes South Asia, located in Bangalore. Through its wide network of sales and marketing professionals, Novozymes South Asia is exploring the Indian market for the product range offered by the company.

Novozymes had acquired the Biocon's enzyme business in 2007 for Rs 553.19 crore ($115 mn). With this acquisition Novozymes has strengthened its position in India. However, it is facing competition from local firms in some segments.

Novozymes India is moving into a new office and R&D facility at Whitefield, Bangalore. The site will also accommodate a number of shared services centers developing in the region. Novozymes continued to focus on growing segments such as detergent, textile and beverage alcohol industries. Thereby, Novozymes establishes R&D operations in

India in a big way for the first time. The R&D unit in India will initially focus on optimizing enzyme properties, and application development. Novozymes spends about 13 percent of its turnover for R&D. And around one-tenth of its expenditure for R&D is used in new areas, in line with its strategy of building up new business areas beyond enzymes and microorganisms.

Nozymes is focusing on biofuel a big way. The company aims to produce second-generation bioethanol this year that converts waste and agricultural residues into energy. This will be a radical development in the search for new renewable energy sources.

Novozymes, last year entered into a collaborative agreement with Praj, a leading company in biofuel technology and plants on advanced biofuels. Together, Praj and Novozymes will optimize the enzymatic hydrolysis processes and the use of enzymes in the production of advanced biofuel. The two companies have worked together for several years within conventional biofuels.

Novozymes has a strong commitment to sustainable biofuels and will develop the enzyme technology needed for a successful commercialization of cellulosic ethanol. The company believes that  collaboration with Praj will be instrumental in ensuring rapid deployment of cellulosic ethanol in India as well as in other parts of the world.