Elder Pharmaceuticals to add 1000 personnel to its Sales and marketing force, largely for rural and semi urban markets
Probably the largest such exercise by a mid-size pharma company in India |
With major thrust on the rural markets and plans to launch more products (owned and in-licensed) in FY 2011 across India, Elder Pharmaceuticals Limited plans to increase its sales and marketing force headcount by about 1000. Elder presently employs about 3300 people in India of which approx. 2700 are in marketing and sales.
Says Alok Saxena, Director of the Rs 600 crore Elder Pharmaceuticals Ltd, "There has been a revival in demand across pharmaceutical segments but the real growth story lies in the rural and semi-urban markets which we expect to grow at about 15% annually from the current level." In addition to doctors, Elder Pharma plans to reach out to physicians, specialists, chemists (esp. in the rural areas), hospitals, nursing homes, and private healthcare institutions. Adds Saxena, "Only if we bolster our field workforce quickly will we be able to fulfill our growth plans. We hope to complete the expansion of our manpower by June 2010."
Elvista – Elder's rural division - has already penetrated the rural and semi urban markets of UP, Maharashtra, Andhra, Bengal and Bihar and certain areas in South. Before Dec 2012, Elvista plans to reach 1500 villages with populations of below 40,000, 300 villages with populations of 40,000 to 100,000 and over 75 peripheral villages/towns around MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan region). Elder has over 350 products with focus of generics, women's healthcare, pain management lifestyle diseases etc which are planned to be taken to the rural markets by 2012 covering about five lakh doctors for which the number of marketing personnel required will be substantial.
Adds Saxena, "Plans to territorially expand our existing products esp. in rural areas, success of our recent launches like Phytomega, Hibor, Bon Viva, Somazina to name a few and addition to our manufacturing capacities are all reasons for us to strengthen our sales and marketing network across India at all levels like MRs, executives, junior and senior managers etc."
Elder Pharmaceuticals has presence in niche therapeutic segments like female healthcare, osteoporosis, Dermatology, pain management, Cardiology, diabetology, nutraceuticals and vitamin supplements. It is the market leader in calcium supplements (Shelcal), wound healing and injectable B12 vitamin. The company has a judicious mix of drug formulations, and active pharma ingredients (APIs). It has 6 manufacturing plants in India located in Maharashtra, Uttarakhand & Himachal Pradesh. The company has a state-of-the-art Research & Development Centre at Navi Mumbai which is recognized by the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, Ministry of Science & Technology.
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