The Chennai office will serve as the starting point for its India expansion. In the next five years, it will expand its product line-up into major cities such as Delhi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad, the company, a leader in silicone catheter technology, said.
Create has a strong global presence through subsidiaries in the China and Vietnam. For over 50 years, it has been at the forefront of innovation in urology, gastroenterology and PEG care, developing advanced silicone-based medical devices designed to improve patient comfort and safety. With a global turnover of USD 90 million, the company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Its products are sold in over 50 countries, including Germany, the UK, India, Italy, Korea, China, Australia and Brazil.
“Chennai was chosen as the entry point due to its strong economic growth and the company’s existing relationships with local partners. The city is expected to act as a base for further expansion across India,” Osamu Imazawa, President, Create Medic Co., said at a press conference.
He said that the company was in its “test phase” to assess the market acceptance before committing to local manufacturing.
“Once we understand how well our products are accepted in India, we will consider setting up a factory,” Imazawa added.
The company said it estimated that setting up a manufacturing facility would require an investment of USD 10 million to USD 20 million. The final decision will depend on multiple factors, including government subsidies, labour availability, cost structures and distribution efficiency.
Imazawa said that the company would adopt a strictly institutional sales approach in India.
“We have now established a dedicated sales company in India. We are transitioning from our earlier model of selling products in India through our distributor, Medi Nippon, to direct sales in the country. The large Indian medical infrastructure, globally renowned doctors and strong purchasing power are seeing a growth rate of 8 per cent which makes it a high potential market for our products. The Indian market is currently being serviced from our manufacturing facility in China. Our long-term plan is to start manufacturing in India to make it a supply base for the Indian subcontinent as well as for African countries,” he said.
Katsuaki Yamane, Managing Director, Create Medic India, said that product approvals were expected to take around 1.5 to 2 years.
The company forecast business of Rs. 20 crore in the short-term in India and then around Rs. 100 crore within a decade, he added
Among its clients in India are: The Tata Memorial Hospitals in Mumbai and Kolkata, AIIMS and Sir Gangaram hospital (both New Delhi), HCG Cancer Hospital in Bengaluru, PGIMS in Chandigarh, Apollo Proton and Adyar Cancer Institute in Chennai and Christian Medical College, Vellore.
