French President Francois Hollande recently inaugurated Martin Dow Pharmaceuticals’ new plant in Meymac, France. The facility specializes in manufacturing oral solid dose forms—capsules, tablets, powders—and has positioned itself as a major pharmaceutical industry contract manufacturer for French and international clients. The Pakistan-based pharma firm says it plans to ramp up manufacturing activity while also expanding into other therapeutic areas such as oncology and antibiotics in the coming months and years.

In addition, Martin Dow says it intends to market its own brands in Europe, Central Asia, Far East, Middle East and in South America. The Akhai family’s involvement in the pharmaceutical industry began in 1960 when Sattar Akhai created a pharmaceutical distribution company. In 1995, his son Jawed Akhai went beyond distribution and set up Martin Dow Pharmaceutical Pakistan Limited. A few years later, in 2000, Jawed Akhai acquired his first pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Lahore. In 2010 Martin Dow acquired the manufacturing facility of Roche in Karachi marking the company’s accession as a major player in the Pakistan pharmaceutical industry.

In 2016, Martin Dow’s acquisition of the majority shareholding of Merck Germany in Merck (Pvt) Ltd marked another major and significant pharmaceutical acquisition in the country. Martin Dow Group in Pakistan is currently ranked fifth in the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan.