Ozone plans to export one third of its output

The company posted an 11.5 million euro turnover last year, representing growth of 230 percent on 2003 thanks to an approximately 3 million euro investment plan, Ozone officials say.

“The 2005 and 2006 investment plans involve 14 million euros for the buying of new equipment and support of research and development activities through the opening of a micro-production lab. Ozone also intends to complete the investment it started in its bioequivalence centre,” said Dan Schiopu, Ozone Romania general manager.

The bioequivalence centre will allow the company to launch generic (non-patented) drugs in a relatively short time.

By internalising the bioequivalence work, the company hopes to improve the efficiency of new product launches, which normally take up to 24 months.

This year the company will invest some 5.2 million euros in expanding its production portfolio and marketing projects.

Last year’s investments, which were estimated at 2 million euros, were used for the opening of a new production section and production line at Ozone’s partner companies, Mark International (Iasi) and Fabiol Bucharest. Ozone is also in talks with three Romanian generic drug makers with a view to a possible acquisition, to which it has allocated approximately 5 million euros.

Currently 17 percent of Ozone’s turnover is derived from sales on the nutritional supplement segment.

“For 2005 we will pursue an expansion of our business on this segment, which is undersized, by up to 25 percent of company turnover,” Schiopu said. Turnover for 2005 is expected to reach 28 million euros. alexandru.cerchez@zf.ro