ICPA and its ‘neck & above’ products
ICPA Health Products Ltd, a pharmaceutical company in the oral-health segment – Thermoseal and Hexidine – has scaled up its presence in the easy-to-use denture management products range for the elderly. “We now offer adhesives and cleansers that would help hold dentures securely,” informs Rohit Mehta, founder & MD, who started ICPA in 1972. “They would help clean the dentures, remove food remnants, as also plaque films and stains from the denture surface”.
With a degree in pharmacy, Mehta had started his career in the production department of the then well-known company – Jeoffrey Manners. Through his working career, Mehta had felt the inclination to become an entrepreneur and build an enterprise on his own. After some deliberations with his mentors, he bought ICPA which, at that time, was a small pharma company, with brands like Pyosan Gumpaint, Fixon, etc.
Today, ICPA enjoys the support of a franchise of about 70 per cent dental surgeons, along with a significant number of ENTs and cancer specialists in the subcontinent. As per Nielson’s latest report, ICPA ranks 128th in the Indian Pharmaceutical Market (IPM), with Dr Reddy’s Lab and Indoco-Warren as key competitors, as they too operate in the same segment.
The company has a range of denture adhesives – Fixon brand cream, powder and Super Grip – which helps hold dentures securely and comfortably all day long and, helps while eating, talking and other activities. The company also offers a complete range of denture cleansers, which includes Clinsodent brand of powder, tablets and brushes, which help remove film, stains and plaque deposits from the denture surface.
Headquartered in Mumbai, ICPA operates its R&D and manufacturing facility in Ankleshwar, Gujarat. The facility is certified by the EU, WHO GMP and ISO.
Mehta, along with his daughters Abha Damani and Hiral Chheda, manage the day-to-day operations of the company. Damani, the older one, joined ICPA in 2000 and is in charge of operations, international business and finance. Under her leadership, ICPA has scaled up exports, to become a formidable player in the international markets. She has spent the first seven years getting acquainted with the business and understanding the company.
In 2003, she undertook her first major project – that of upgrading the manufacturing systems. She not only modernised the plant but also brought in systems and process that increased productivity and efficiency. “The look of the products was changed and the packaging redesigned, to give the brand a contemporary and youthful feel in line with the new millennium,” says Damani who, in 2010, decided to stretch ICPA’s footprint beyond India. She took charge of the project with vigour and, within a short time, created a strong presence in Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia.
Soon, ICPA forayed into the regulated markets of the UK and Australia. In 2019, it received plant and product approval for the European Union, making ICPA a truly global pharmaceutical company. Besides holding a master’s degree in Economics & Business, she is also an ICWAI endorsed cost & management accountant.
A change-maker, Damani has brought about a metamorphosis in the company’s management strategies and dynamics. “Big changes are underway, with the new state-of-the-art manufacturing lines at the company’s facility in Gujarat, which too is being commissioned by me,” adds Damani. Her vision is to lead ICPA into the cluster of the top 50 ranked pharma companies of India.
Chheda, the younger sibling, heads human resources, sales & administration and digital marketing at ICPA. After joining the company in 2002, she introduced systems and KRAs and was instrumental in founding a new work culture, which led to increased efficiency and productivity. “Our denture products are available through local chemists and also through e-commerce portals, including Amazon and Flipkart,” says Chheda. “Supported by a significant number of urban and semi-urban citizens above the age of 65, ICPA is looking to offer a convenient denture maintenance routine for this section of the population”.
In 1972, at the age of 25, Mehta took over ICPA from its former owners and turned it around to create India’s second largest pharma company in the oral healthcare segment. “At the time, while most pharmaceutical companies were trying to expand their product offerings, I decided to focus solely on dental products,” explains Mehta, who has created ICPA’s flagship products – Thermoseal and Hexidine – which today are the most popular and recommended toothpaste and mouthwash by dentists. In addition to dental products, Mehta also created niche offerings in ayurvedic and cosmetic products. He set up the company’s manufacturing plant in Ankleshwar, Gujarat in 1984.
Mehta was quick to realise that, to penetrate the Indian pharmaceutical market, one needed deep pockets. “The company was boot-strapped, had limited resources and to sustain and so, competing in the pharma sector would have been a herculean task. So, while many pharma companies focussed on creating products for general practitioners, I strategically concentrated on creating products for dental practitioners. Though the number of dental practitioners in the country at the time was relatively low, I estimated that, in the next two decades, the segment would create a new and bigger market for ICPA’s products,” points out Mehta, who has put forward a bevy of products specifically in the oral healthcare segment, to reach out to the dental practitioners in the country.
Over the last 49 years, while Mehta was maintaining ICPA’s focus on oral healthcare, he has also diversified the portfolio to include what he terms as ‘neck & above’ products. In line with ICPA’s offerings in the dental segment, these products would offer treatments in ENT, skin, ophthalmic and hair segments. He created a brand that has a pronounced equity with dentists across the country. “By introducing exclusively focussed products in the segment, we could be credited with revolutionising the oral healthcare landscape in the country.”
From three employees in 1972 to over 500 employees today, Mehta has built and nurtured ICPA. Now, at 73, he continues to maintain personal connect with his customers as well as members of the staff. A pioneer in the strontium chloride segment, ICPA has become the first Indian company to introduce toothpaste with this formulation in 1974. In terms of market share, it is today India’s second largest company in the dental segment, with international presence in over 18 countries across South-East Asia, the Middle-East, the UK, Australia and French West Africa.
One of its most popular products – Hexidine – is the recommended mouthwash for Covid-19 symptom management. While ICPA enjoys a dominant position in the dental segment, it also offers products in dermatology, haemorrhoids and ENT segments. In the FMCG segment, ICPA has an array of products in perfumes, sanitisers, hand washes, disinfectants and soaps, etc.
“ICPA already enjoys 50 per cent share of the Indian denture care market,” adds Damani. “We are now looking to increase availability of our offerings in the everyday consumables in this segment across India. In the first leg, we plan to increase our presence in the Western region of India starting with Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and, gradually form networks across the rest of the states in the region”.
India has the second largest ageing population globally and, by 2025, the country’s population over the age of 50 will be over 175 million. The potential value of senior consumer market in the pharma segment is just over Rs40,000 crore. “Over the last 20 years, ICPA has focussed mainly on serving the dental needs of people, and, in this segment, we are the most preferred brand with the dentists in the country,” explains Damani.
“Now, we are focussing on scaling up our presence to meet the increased demand. The elderly who wear dentures need these products not only for cosmetic reasons but also for better quality of life. The products offer a healthy smile and the ability to enjoy time together with loved ones. Today, there are only a few products that address the issues faced by individuals who wear dentures. To them, we are offering an easy and convenient everyday solution,” adds she.
“While available to be bought separately, the products are also offered as part of a kit called the ‘replay kit’,” informs Damani. “It is an assortment of the individual products neatly packaged, along with its own storage. We are confident that the users will see value in our offerings and also realise the vast difference it will make to their lives once it becomes part of their daily routine”. She goes on to add: “ICPA is committed to fighting the global antibiotic resistance crisis, by involving more and more dentists and promoting responsible antibiotic use in dentistry. The company plans to enter into new segments in paediatrics and ayurveda and is also looking to revive its products in the OTC segment”.
As of today, the company has a turnover of about Rs120 crore, exclusive of exports. It has been growing at a rate of over 15 per cent over the last decade and aims to speed up to 25 per cent to become a Rs200 crore company over the next five years.