THE ACQUISITION OF INVIDA IN SINGAPORE AT THE END OF 2011 OPENS GREAT PROSPECTS IN THE FAR EAST AND LUCIA ALEOTTI ANNOUNCES OTHER SHOPPING. THE TROUBLE COMES FROM THE DOMESTIC MARKET WHICH REMAINS STRATEGIC BUT WILL LOSE 37% OF REVENUES AT THE END OF THE YEAR BETWEEN CUTS IN HEALTHCARE AND STOPPING NEW DRUGS
Christian Benna
Turin Menarini's anti-crisis medicine is in South-East Asia. After the acquisition in mid-November of Invida, a Singaporean pharmaceutical company present in 13 countries in the area, the Tuscan multinational intends to invest again in the Far East. «China or Singapore again», indicates Lucia Aleotti, vice president of Menarini, as possible destinations for an upcoming production site in the region. Invida closed 2011 with revenues of 220 million dollars and 3,500 direct employees, but it has the "potential to generate a turnover of around 1 billion euros a year over the next five years, approximately 25% of our turnover". The deal opens the door to Menarini in the Asia-Pacific region which accounts for 10% of the global pharmaceutical market and is growing at a rate of 20% annually. And the rate of development of those economies "will exponentially increase the need for health". Hence radar access for further acquisitions or new production facilities, to meet the demand of these emerging markets. The last step in the internationalization of the Tuscan company, which today invoices almost 70% of its revenues abroad, marketing its products in over 100 countries, arrives in the darkest days of Made in Italy in the sector, with the arrival of new cuts to healthcare and pharmaceuticals. The government maneuver of July 2011, which should be applied by 30 June, envisages a contraction
of expenditure on medicines between 800 million and one billion euros. «We strongly believe in the recovery of the Italian system - says Lucia Aleotti, who is also vice president of Farmindustria - and we have demonstrated this by investing in the relaunch of Banca Monte dei Paschi and maintaining a large part of production in our country, 5 plants out of 14 of the group. But this year our worst market will be Italy. It is a fact that cannot fail to make us reflect». In 2011 Menarini recorded a turnover of 3 billion euros, in line with the previous year. Yet the company, until 2010, was used to high growth rates, equal to 7%. "The scissors to the pharmaceutical expense weighed in the accounts". Between 2010 and the end of 2012
