Sunita Shingdia who, together with her sons Arron and Rowin, is the driving force behind Lincoln pharmaceuticals packaging firm Krystals, told members of Lincolnshire Business Women’s Link, these are top priorities in today’s tough trading environment.   Talking about “My Life So Far”, Sunita  told how she came to England, at the age of 12, to join her parents.  She had previously lived in her home country with her grandparents. Private-school educated, English was Sunita’s second language.   It was while popping to the local chemist for her Aunt’s prescription, and failing to find it, that she learned what a “pharmacy” is! That memorable incident and the fact that she had a toy dispensary – encouraged Sunita to explore a career in the medical field.   “But I didn’t like blood or needles so studied to become a pharmacist, a role which would allow me to run by own business,” she said.

 

Sunita met her husband Ken at University. Both were ambitious. They wanted to have pharmacy within five years of marrying and to open a factory within ten!   In 1980, friends told Sunita a pharmacy was for sale in Nettleham, near Lincoln. She made her move and worked at the sharp end.   Many people thought Ken was actually the qualified pharmacist.  That’s because a dispenser or dispensing assistant can do dispensing as long as it is under a pharmacist’s supervision   But the trained engineer, had noticed  the medicine containers she was using and believed he could produce them more cheaply. The idea for Krystals the factory (also the name of the pharmacy Sunita ran for 27 years) was born.

 

In 1985, they started this on Lincoln’s Allenby Industrial Estate, and Sunita recalls that it was very hard work. However, she was undeterred.   Sunita confided that there had been a point,  just after university when the couple had literally been down to their last penny! And she said that, if the worst comes to the worst you can always start over.    “Business is a journey and you have to take risks, but I have never been motivated totally by making money.  Arron and Rowin have joined the business in the last two years, bringing in new ideas and new technology, which I feel is right and the way you learn.”   Krystals, which is now based in Pyke Road, Lincoln, supplies customers across the UK and abroad.