Roquette Expands Global Reach of Plant-Based Excipients Portfolio With Complete Acquisition of Crest Cellulose

Roquette recently announced its complete acquisition of India-based excipient manufacturer, Crest Cellulose. Following its purchase of a majority share in the company in 2018, this latest move allows Roquette to continue realizing its strong growth ambitions and meet rising global demand for high-quality plant-based excipients. Thanks to this wholly owned subsidiary, Roquette’s international customer base will benefit from its ability to provide pharmacopoeia-compliant, premium quality, fully traceable solutions to help solve the toughest challenges in drug delivery.

As the largest global provider of generic medicine, India’s pharma industry is poised for a period of seismic growth. At the same time, production of generics in the Asia Pacific region is also increasing. Recognizing these growth opportunities, Roquette’s decision to wholly acquire Crest Cellulose reinforces its presence in India and Asia, as well as its global network of pharmaceutical innovation centers and application development facilities.

Crest Cellulose makes an ideal addition to Roquette Pharma Solutions thanks to its shared commitment to scientific excellence, unquestioned safety and full regulatory compliance. Every excipient produced at the facility – including MICROCEL microcrystalline cellulose, LYCATAB CT partially pregelatinized starch and Roquette Magnesium Stearate – adheres to Roquette’s rigorous quality standards, as well as all major international regulatory requirements.

“At Roquette, we believe true innovation can only be achieved in an environment where ingredient safety is completely assured,” said Paul Smaltz, Vice President, Roquette Pharma Solutions. “There’s no room for compromise or short cuts when tackling the world’s greatest health challenges. The team at Crest Cellulose share our conviction that quality is king, always striving to optimize processes and redefine what’s possible in drug delivery. As a global leader in health and nutrition, we’re excited to harness our newly expanded capabilities to support our network of customers and partners in India, Asia and the rest of the world.”

Protecting the health of the planet is a core pillar of Roquette’s goal to unlock healthier futures for all. Here too, the Indian site shares the same ethos of responsibility when it comes to respecting the planet and its natural resources. The company’s environmental efforts have already been recognized by leading industry bodies, with Crest Cellulose recently becoming the latest recipient of the Greentech “Environmental Protection” award.

Paul Smaltz continues “Adding Crest Cellulose to the Roquette family gives us an opportunity to expand the reach of our sustainable development initiatives, underpinned by four key pillars (Innovating, Sourcing, Biorefining, Acting) to build a healthier tomorrow. For Crest Cellulose and its customers, this means sustainable development will become central to every operation – ensuring we deliver top quality solutions that champion people, the planet and prosperity. Supporting our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions* by 25% between 2021 and 2030, plans are in motion to install an additional 0.5 megawatt solar panel to the 10 kilowatts already in place at the site. This investment is designed to provide renewable energy for decades to come.”

Roquette is a family-owned global leader in plant-based ingredients, a pioneer of plant proteins and a leading provider of pharmaceutical excipients. Founded in 1933, the company currently operates in more than 100 countries, has a turnover of 3.9 billion euros, and employs more than 8,000 people worldwide.

Life and nature have been our sources of inspiration for decades. All our raw materials are of natural origin. From them, we enable a whole new plant protein cuisine; we offer pharmaceutical solutions that play a key role in medical treatments; and we develop innovative ingredients for food, nutrition and health markets. We truly unlock the potential of nature to improve, cure and save lives.

Thanks to a constant drive for innovation and a long-term vision, we are committed to improving the well-being of people all over the world. We put sustainable development at the heart of our concerns, while taking care of resources and territories. We are determined to create a better and healthier future for all generations. For more information, visit www.roquette.com.

(*) direct emissions produced by the company (scope 1) and indirect emissions related to the energy purchased and consumed by the company (scope 2).