Most fragrance companies specialise in one step: growing, distilling, compounding or filling. Sawai does all of them, across four facilities in India built up over six decades. This is a guided tour of what happens at each one, and why having them under one company matters to the brands we work with.
The four facilities at a glance
Sawai operates four manufacturing facilities in India. Kannauj handles traditional steam and hydro distillation. Silvassa runs fractional distillation and large-scale processing. Surat is the compounding and development centre where fragrances are blended and standardised. Nilakkottai runs solvent and supercritical CO₂ extraction. Together, they take natural raw materials all the way to finished, filled fragrance.
| Facility | Main role | Typical materials |
|---|---|---|
| Kannauj | Steam and hydro distillation | Floral and spice materials, attars, shamama, delicate naturals |
| Silvassa | Fractional distillation, high-volume refinement | Woody, balsamic and resinous inputs, essential oils and aroma materials |
| Surat | Compounding, development, batch standardisation, scale-up | Production-ready fragrance oils |
| Nilakkottai | Solvent and supercritical CO₂ extraction | Nagarmotha, vetiver, geranium, palmarosa and other botanicals |
Kannauj: steam and hydro distillation
Kannauj is where Sawai began in 1965, and it is still the company’s traditional distillation centre. It specialises in steam and hydro distillation of floral and spice-based raw materials, focusing on attars, shamama and delicate naturals that need careful control of pressure, moisture and temperature. Hydro distillation allows gentle extraction, and oils are separated through natural decantation to preserve their purity and character.
Related reading: steam vs hydro distillation, shamama attar, mitti attar.
Silvassa: fractional distillation and scale
Established in 1990 as a 5-acre site, Silvassa is Sawai’s primary industrial processing facility. It is designed for high-volume refinement and supports fractional distillation of essential oils and aroma materials, with a focus on woody, balsamic and resinous inputs. Controlled heating, precision separation columns and automated reflux systems produce high-purity isolates and consistent aroma profiles at scale.
Surat: compounding and development
Opened in 2012, the Surat centre marked Sawai’s shift from ingredient supplier to fragrance creation partner. Here, extracted materials become production-ready fragrance oils. The team oversees blending, batch standardisation and scale-up, so a fragrance approved in a trial batch is reproduced at production volume without drift. Perfumers work closely with R&D, evaluation and manufacturing teams, which reduces reformulation when a fragrance moves from development to production.
Nilakkottai: solvent and CO₂ extraction
Nilakkottai, in Tamil Nadu, houses Sawai’s solvent and supercritical CO₂ extraction systems for delicate and high-value botanicals such as nagarmotha, vetiver, geranium and palmarosa. CO₂ extraction works under carefully controlled temperature and pressure, preserving clean aromatic profiles, purity and stability. Read supercritical CO₂ extraction explained.
Want to see what our facilities can do for your brand?
Automation, bottling and quality
- Automation and process control: PLC, SCADA, instrumentation and control systems for efficiency and reliability.
- In-house bottling and filling: precise, hygienic filling that keeps output consistent.
- An integrated ecosystem: digital systems, automation and data brought together for scalable production.
- Quality through process: defined controls, documentation and review systems ensure consistency across batches and volumes.
The journey of one fragrance
- Field: vetiver, rose or kewra is grown in owned fields or by dedicated farmer networks.
- Extraction: the material is distilled in Kannauj or Silvassa, or extracted in Nilakkottai.
- Creation: perfumers build the fragrance to a brand’s brief.
- Compounding: Surat blends and standardises the production batch.
- Filling: the fragrance is bottled, finished and packed in-house.
- Repeat supply: every reorder is matched to the approved batch.
Fewer handovers, fewer surprises: when one company controls every step, there are fewer points where quality, timing or cost can slip between suppliers.
What this means for your brand
For brands, Sawai’s facilities mean one partner instead of four. Your fragrance can be built on naturals we produce ourselves, developed by our perfumers, standardised in Surat and filled in-house, with the same quality from your first order to your hundredth. Whether you need a private label perfume, an attar range, air care oils or a functional fragrance for FMCG, the same integrated system supports it.
Frequently asked questions
How many facilities does Sawai have?
Four: Kannauj, Silvassa, Surat and Nilakkottai, with a head office in Mumbai.
Where does Sawai blend and compound fragrances?
At its Surat compounding and development centre, opened in 2012.
Does Sawai use CO₂ extraction?
Yes. Nilakkottai runs supercritical CO₂ and solvent extraction for high-value botanicals.
Does Sawai fill and bottle products in-house?
Yes. Sawai has in-house bottling and filling for consistent, hygienic production.
Can brands visit Sawai’s facilities?
Please contact our team to discuss your requirements and any visit.
From raw material to finished bottle
Four facilities, one partner. Sawai controls the full journey of your fragrance.
