Katra Phytochem India Pvt Ltd

Katra Phytochem India Pvt Ltd is out on Balagaranahalli Road, which can be a bit of a trek depending on the traffic. The work we do here is a mix of science and manual labor. We handle a lot of plant extracts and chemicals, so there is always a very specific smell in the air—sometimes it’s earthy, and sometimes it’s a bit sharp. We wear these white coats that never seem to stay white for long because someone always spills something or leans against a dusty machine. The facility at 478/258 has several different rooms for different stages of the process. It’s not like those shiny labs you see on TV; ours is a bit worn out with pipes running along the ceiling and stains on the floor. We spend a lot of time monitoring the temperatures and writing down numbers in big logbooks. The road outside is always busy with buses and trucks, so we usually keep the windows shut to keep the noise out. During the monsoon, the road gets some big puddles, and we have to be careful not to get splashed on the way in. It’s a steady job with a lot of routine, and we’ve become a tight group of people who just know how to work together.