Indian
Major pharma companies focus back on the Local market. Prescription medicines cannot be
advertised in mass media unlike other consumer products. So, the field force of
a drug company, also known as medical representatives, is the critical link to
spur sales by pushing a company's brands through doctors and hospitals. Reddy
Labs , Mankind , Cipla , Ranbaxy , Lupin , Alkem, GSK , Sanofi, Pfizer are all
ramping up their field force or right sizing.
Dr Reddy's, Mankind Pharma to add workforce next
fiscal
Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's is
India's second largest pharma company by global sales, but it has been lagging
at the 17th position in the domestic market, due to its focus on its overseas
business. However, in the last two years, the company has ramped up its
domestic field force to expand business primarily in the northern and eastern
parts of the country. "The management's focus is back on the local
market," a company official said.
For Delhi-based Mankind Pharma, the focus is to push its new products, particularly in segments such as dermatology and cardiology, and gain market share to become the number one company in the Indian market by 2015, said CEO Ramesh Juneja. Incidentally, both Dr Reddy's and Mankind Pharma added similar numbers to their workforce in the ongoing fiscal.
Two other Indian companies, Alkem and Lupin, also plan to add about 300 and 400 personnel each to their workforce next fiscal. "It could be higher as we enter new therapy segments such as dermatology and consolidate in diabetes, gynaecology and anti-asthma," Lupin, Group President (India Region Formulations & CIS), Shakti Chakraborty, said.
However, most other drugmajors are looking at consolidation. Cipla's whole-time director S Radhakrishan said the company will "optimise" its 7,000 sales force while GSK and Pfizer will consolidate its existing teams and conduct only a few "selective" or replacement hiring. Sanofi Aventis is also "right sizing" its team, following the addition of about 700 people through the acquisition of Universal Medicare last year.
The 60,000-crore Indian domestic drug market is growing consistently at over 15% and projected to maintain the momentum over the next few years, making it one of the world's most lucrative markets. Developed markets such as the US, Japan and some countries in Europe are growing at low single digits largely due to patent expiry of best selling drugs.
Prescription medicines cannot be advertised in mass media unlike other consumer products. So, the field force of a drug company, also known as medical representatives, is the critical link to spur sales by pushing a company's brands through doctors and hospitals.
"Most drugmakers have increased their workforce in the last few years. Now many of them are consolidating," a senior official from a domestic pharma company said. Pfizer India, for instance, had launched two new divisions last year and hired about 400 people, is now looking at consolidation.
Similarly, GSK also added about 650-700 people last year, while Ranbaxy Laboratories increased its sales and marketing team by 50% or 1,500 personnel in 2010. Though Abbot Laboratories added about 4,000 sales and marketing people through its acquisition of Piramal Healthcare's domestic formulation business 2010, a company spokesman said it will also hire, without specifying any numbers.
For Delhi-based Mankind Pharma, the focus is to push its new products, particularly in segments such as dermatology and cardiology, and gain market share to become the number one company in the Indian market by 2015, said CEO Ramesh Juneja. Incidentally, both Dr Reddy's and Mankind Pharma added similar numbers to their workforce in the ongoing fiscal.
Two other Indian companies, Alkem and Lupin, also plan to add about 300 and 400 personnel each to their workforce next fiscal. "It could be higher as we enter new therapy segments such as dermatology and consolidate in diabetes, gynaecology and anti-asthma," Lupin, Group President (India Region Formulations & CIS), Shakti Chakraborty, said.
However, most other drugmajors are looking at consolidation. Cipla's whole-time director S Radhakrishan said the company will "optimise" its 7,000 sales force while GSK and Pfizer will consolidate its existing teams and conduct only a few "selective" or replacement hiring. Sanofi Aventis is also "right sizing" its team, following the addition of about 700 people through the acquisition of Universal Medicare last year.
The 60,000-crore Indian domestic drug market is growing consistently at over 15% and projected to maintain the momentum over the next few years, making it one of the world's most lucrative markets. Developed markets such as the US, Japan and some countries in Europe are growing at low single digits largely due to patent expiry of best selling drugs.
Prescription medicines cannot be advertised in mass media unlike other consumer products. So, the field force of a drug company, also known as medical representatives, is the critical link to spur sales by pushing a company's brands through doctors and hospitals.
"Most drugmakers have increased their workforce in the last few years. Now many of them are consolidating," a senior official from a domestic pharma company said. Pfizer India, for instance, had launched two new divisions last year and hired about 400 people, is now looking at consolidation.
Similarly, GSK also added about 650-700 people last year, while Ranbaxy Laboratories increased its sales and marketing team by 50% or 1,500 personnel in 2010. Though Abbot Laboratories added about 4,000 sales and marketing people through its acquisition of Piramal Healthcare's domestic formulation business 2010, a company spokesman said it will also hire, without specifying any numbers.
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