PLIVA - Lachema Diagnostika – Comfortable Availability, Available Comfort

Last year our company entered the fifth decade of its existence and, rather symbolically, it was a year that exceptionally tested our capabilities, strength and determination. Like in case of other Czech exporters, the most significant barrier for our company was the sharply rising exchange rate of the Czech currency followed by the global financial crisis connected with a decrease of demand worldwide. In spite of that, following deductions related to the exchange rate effects, our sales have been consistently rising for four consecutive years. This time Ukraine represented the most significant share – after deduction of the exchange rate effects it featured an increase exceeding 30% and considering the sales volume Ukraine and Kazakhstan managed to get to 4th rank after the Czech Republic, Russia and Slovakia.

However, last year we focused most of our trading and marketing activities on Russia where we managed – in cooperation with our partners – to open regional representations in 15 biggest Russian cities and regions. The objective of these representations is to bring our products and technical support even closer to final customers.
 
Nevertheless, we also achieved successes in other countries – principally in Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia where we established new business partnerships and concluded long-term distribution contracts. Before Christmas we participated (as a traditional member) in the mission of the South Moravia Region which was sent to the Baltics, once again with the principal objective of establishing new business contacts.
 
Last year we also managed to improve our website in an essential manner, thus providing our customers and partners with not only more necessary information but also better orientation and navigation means.

The scope of most fundamental novelties comprised MikroalbuPHAN, a strip allowing for determination of microalbumin and creatinine in urine that is currently unique in Central and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, we launched an innovated diagnostic zone for determination of leukocytes featuring a significantly better colour differentiation of the negative and 1st positive fields and, at the Medica Düsseldorf Fair, we presented notably innovated LAURA® urine reader featuring new useful functions.

As regards the branch of microbiology, the principal novelties pertained to innovation of the STREPROtest kit which transformed it into an agent-free (and therefore more comfortable) form as well as alteration of packages used for suspension media (more user-friendly lockable tubes). In addition to the aforementioned innovations, modernisation was also ensured in relation to DENSILAMETR® II, which currently allows for measurement of density of media directly in their original packages.
 
The objective of all innovations is to fulfil our obligation related to consistent increases of user comfort ensured by our products while maintaining a high quality level as well as affordable prices.

Regardless our successes achieved in the area of in-company development, we regard acquiring of the rights for exclusive distribution of Flexor® biochemical analyzers in the Czech Republic and (non-exclusive for the time being) Slovakia to be our greatest success achieved in the area of extension of our portfolio last year. Flexor® analyzers manufactured by Vital Scientific from the Netherlands represent the top class amongst medium and small size analyzers, and therefore the act of granting the distribution rights to our company serves as a proof of its leading position in the branch of clinical biochemistry in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

As regards the area of quality assurance, once again we managed to maintain validity of both the quality assurance certificates – ISO 9001 and ISO 13 485 (quality certificate for medical devices including in-vitro diagnostics) – thus confirming that presence of the “Blue point of quality” logo proves to be justified.

As regards the area of human resources, we managed – together with our parent company, PLIVA-Lachema a.s. – to keep the “Employer of the Region” award, which represents a considerable success. This award confirms the fact that we regard our employees to be the most valuable asset of our company while providing them with above-standard conditions and benefit plans.

Generally, despite numerous and highly unexpected obstacles, last year proved to be successful for us – as documented by our P&L in black numbers that corresponded to the result from the preceding year.

Even though events of year 2009 prove to be awaited rather nervously worldwide, we believe that our company shall manage to compete again. In addition to our traditional territories in Central and Eastern Europe we intend to focus on development of newly established partnerships in south-eastern Europe. We will further develop and innovate the products in order to increase the level of user comfort that they provide as well as perform activities aimed at increases of the technical support and customers’ awareness. All that will be done with the objective to complete our mission: Provide high-quality, easily accessible means allowing for reliable, fast and comfortable analyses resulting in determination in correct diagnoses, thus decreasing the length of patient treatment periods.