Mumbai: German pharmaceuticals and chemicals group Merck KgaA, has set up its first lab chemicals and technology solutions centre in India offering customized services for its local as well as foreign clients in pharma, biotechnolgy, cosmetics and other chemistry-based industries.

The specialty chemical unit of the global company, which is now renamed as Merck Millipore after the global integration of Millipore Corporation that it acquired in 2010 in a $7.2 billion worldwide deal, is planning to expand its consultancy oriented business model in India.

The opening of this high-tech centre is the first move in that direction, said Marek Dziki, managing director, Merck Ltd. Millipore, a technology solutions provider for bio-pharmaceutical industry globally, had an Indian subsidiary, and the combined entity will offer product development solutions to the companies in both life sciences as well as other sectors in India.

The new facility opened at Nerul near Mumbai on Monday, “will enable Merck to offer customized application and technology solutions to its customers in fields ranging from drug discovery to automobile and decorative paints”, said Klaus Bischoff, head of laboratory solutions business unit, Merck Millipore.

Merck Millipore has about 350000 products in its portfolio catering to various industries was so far providing customized solutions from its facilities abroad.