Swiss specialty chemicals producer Clariant has broken ground on its new plant in Cuddalore, India, for making moisture-control products for pharmaceutical packaging.

The company announced last month it was planning to build the facility which is scheduled to start operations during 2017.

Christian Kohlpaintner, a member of Clariant’s executive committee, said the plant was another important step in the company’s strategy to intensify growth and increase its market share in the emerging Indian market where demand for high-quality desiccants was rising.

Clariant already has 10 production sites in India, in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, together with an innovation center in Mumbai.