Britain''s Ozone Laboratories will triple its production capacity for the pharmaceutical products made at the Fabiol Bucharest plant, as part of its 5.8m- euro investment plan for this year.
"There are products such as Algozone and Paracetamol that have seen significant growth and that required this investment. Completely automated production lines were added in the wake of investments," stated Dan Schiopu, general manager of the company.
Beside Fabiol Bucharest, Ozone also manufactures drugs in partnership with other Romanian-based companies: Mark Pharmaceuticals Iasi, Santa Brasov and Bioeel Targu Mures.
Ozone last year registered turnover worth 22 million euros, with turnover budgeted for this year standing at 50 million euros.
"The increase will be partly be due to market growth and rising consumption of pharmaceuticals, as well as to the expansion of our product portfolio," Schiopu stated.
Last year, the company''s most dynamic segment was represented by nutritional supplements. Prescription drugs accounted for more than 50% of the company''s sales. Over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements contributed almost 50% to sales.
In 2006, the company will mainly focus on the development of the OTC portfolio and on its range of prescription drugs.
At the same time, the company plans to expand the portfolio of products it manufactures together with Iasi-based Mark Pharmaceuticals. For the following period, Ozone plans are related to organic growth.
"We are in a growth period, when we are undertaking large investments and this is why we are focusing on growth and not efficiency boosting. It is not profit that we are targeting at present," stated Schiopu. At the end of 2006, the company will come to hold approximately 170 products on the market.
The company last year invested 5.2 million euros, of which about 3 million euros were earmarked for registration of products both in Romania and in the Central and Eastern European markets. The rest was poured in product promotion. For this year, the company has budgeted investments standing at 5.8 million euros.
The pharmaceutical market last year went up approximately 18%, according to data provided by Cegedim company.
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