British drug producer Ozone Laboratories has announced plans to invest 16 million euros in Romania to sustain the two Romanian factories it works with, Fabiol Bucharest and Mark International Iasi, and to build a micro-production laboratory.
The programme started with a 2 million euro investment, which helped Ozone’s Romanian partners meet the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, a mandatory requirement since the beginning of this year.
“Romania is one of the largest markets in Europe and has a tremendous potential because of its geographic location and of its accession to the common market in 2007,” Dan Schiopu, Ozone Laboratories chief executive for Romania said as explanation for the decision to invest.
Romania’s generic drug production capacity will increase in the next few years, once traditional producers have completed upgrade programmes and other companies are either starting or have already completed construction of facilities.
Slovenian Lek, part of the Novartis Group opened a new $12 million factory in Targu-Mures.
At the same time, Egypt-based Pharco began construction works on a new factory near Bucharest last year.
Ozone does not have production facilities in Romania, as the group only owns the production files for the drugs, which are made by its two partners, Fabiol and Mark International.
The two factories, held by Romanian and foreign businessmen, are operating almost entirely under contract for Ozone.
Ozone had 26 products made in Romania in 2003 and concluded the year with 5 million euro turnover, twice higher than in 2002, when it entered the Romanian market. It estimates to have 50 products made this year, as well as revenues reach 16 million euros. The growth will partly come, the company says, from two new production lines becoming operational at Fabiol Bucharest.
Ozone also plans to export Romanian drugs to Macedonia, Bulgaria, Poland, Belarus and Ukraine.
laurentiu.ispir@zf.ro