2025-12-24

In an era where pharmaceutical quality and regulatory compliance are under constant scrutiny, the role of water treatment in drug manufacturing has never been more critical. In this interview, Shoeb Kurawadwala, Founder and Managing Director, CN Water, discusses with Pharma Industrial India how their solutions support pharma manufacturers, the new technologies showcased at CPHI/PMEC India 2025, and the company’s plans for growth and global expansion.

Q. How is CN Water supporting the pharma manufacturers?

Water is a critical input for any pharmaceutical manufacturer. In India, however, access to clean air and pure water remains a challenge. That’s where we come in. We ensure that water infrastructure requirements are taken care of for pharma companies. All our clients operate in USFDA-regulated markets, and we are proud that every one of them runs FDA-approved facilities. This is the core USP of CN Water. Another aspect of our business projects is that we are specialised in complex projects. There may be nearly 7,000 pharma companies in India, but we work with only the top 20–30 the ones for whom the world is the market.Our customers are all global companies.

Q. What innovations or technologies have you introduced at CPHI/PMEC India 2025?

The core water treatment systems have largely remained the same, with no major technological change.  However, the way we design, operate, and manage these systems has transformed significantly. Today, we are aligned with Industry 4.0 standards and digitalisation. One of the key advancements we have introduced is what we call digital assurance. Beyond the water treatment process itself, we have integrated automation and remote service management.With this digital layer, we can support customers across geographies using advanced analytics. Another breakthrough is our online microbiological monitoring system. Traditionally, microbiological testing takes around four days, but with our system, results can be obtained in just 15–30 minutes.

From a technology standpoint, we are also developing Cold Water for Injection (WFI) systems. Sustainability is a major requirement for most of our global customers using less water, fewer chemicals and lower energy is the way forward. In this context, our cold WFI systems represent new state-of-the-art technology.

Q. Where does CN Water stand today, and what are its future growth plans?

In the pharmaceutical segment, our immediate focus is on consolidating and strengthening our offerings. Out of nearly 7,000 pharma companies in India, we currently work with only around 50. Even expanding this reach to 200 would be a substantial growth milestone. To achieve this, we plan to standardise our solutions, introduce low-cost options, and productise services.

We are also actively exploring export markets for our pharmaceutical solutions. Beyond pharma, we are expanding into non-pharmaceutical sectors such as semiconductors and solar photovoltaic cell manufacturing. These will be key growth areas for CN Water over the next two–three years.

Q. We’ve been hearing about several contamination incidents recently. In such cases, where does CN Water play a role in preventing contamination within the industry?

Historically, if you look at the contamination data, around 80 percent of cases originate from water and microbiological sources. When you look at past US FDA records, water remains one of the most common causes of contamination. In India, it’s both a challenge and a major opportunity to manage water systems at the highest level of purity and compliance. This is where CN Water plays a crucial role. We contribute significantly to ensuring drug quality and safety, and strengthening the entire pharmaceutical supply chain.

Q. How has the market demand for CN Water’s solutions evolved in recent years? Has there been a noticeable change, especially after COVID-19?

In the pharmaceutical industry, there has been significant capital investment in expanding drug production capacityafter COVID. But today, the market is gradually returning to normal levels. At the moment, it appears to be a cyclical business.However, since most of our customers are global, demand in those markets continues to grow. Therefore, we expect steady and consistent growth in India over the next five years.

Currently, we focus mainly on Indian customers who serve global markets. Expanding exports is a key priority for us going forward, as the solutions we offer are not only high in quality but also highly competitive in cost.

Q. With the industry moving from traditional generic formulations to high-value innovation areas such as cell and gene therapy, how does CN Water plan to contribute to and support this transformation?

As pharmaceutical products become more complex, the requirements for water become equally complex. This creates a significant opportunity for companies like ours to contribute more to the industry.

Twenty years ago, the focus was primarily on oral solid dosage forms, but today we are seeing a rise in sterile and biotech products, many of which are injectable. These segments demand a much higher quality of water and in greater volumes. For us, this translates into strong growth potential, and we expect increasing demand for our solutions moving forward.

All the technologies that we have today have been in development for many years. If we canreally commercialise them over the next  years, it will open a significant opportunity for us. Water treatment is a traditional industry, but it now needs new layers of automation and digitalisation and that is exactly what we are working on.

Q. How does CN Water differentiate itself from other companies in the market? Why should pharma companies choose CN Water for their water solutions?

Our customers in the industry are well aware of us and our reputation. Most companies are CAPEX-oriented. Our approach, however, focuses on the total cost of ownership over the life of the product and in that regard, we are the lowest. Many mature companies take a longer-term view of their investments, and for them, water systems are a long-term partnership. Unlike other machinery, a water plant is not just supplied and left; you have to live with it.That is the advantage that we can bring to the customer. We provide life-cycle warranties and support.

While competitors may offer similar solutions, we have a strong team, a proven track record, and over 30 years of experience in the industry. Some of our oldest plants have been operating for 15 years, far beyond the typical water plant lifespan of five years. These are the proof of our expertise.