25 successful years of Lek in Slovakia
In 1998, Lek increased its sales in Slovakia by 15% as compared to the previous year. The most successful was the Animal Health Division with sales exceeding the plan by 40%, yet the sales of veterinary products account only for 4% of total sales in the Slovak market. The most significant are the results of the Pharmaceuticals Business Unit with 86% of total sales, as sales increased by almost 13%. In 1998 the company managed to make it to the top ten pharmaceutical companies in Slovakia, despite the extremely restrictive policy of the domestic pharmaceutical industry and a very tough market environment there.
In the Slovak market, Lek has been active for as many as 25 years, with its first drug being registered in 1973. Currently, Lek in Slovakia is marketing 27 pharmaceutical chemicals in 68 pharmaceutical forms, 17 OTC drugs, 10 collections of cosmetics and 21 veterinary products in 10 pharmaceutical forms.
The highest sales of pharmaceutical products are achieved by antibiotics; they account for half of total sales with Amoksiklav being Lek’s best-selling product. The top three OTC products are Persen, Immunal and Plantex. The Green Line collection ranks first in the sales of cosmetics, while the best-selling veterinary product is Pratel.
Consequently, all the companies that wish to operate successfully in these markets should be able to adjust to such conditions.
“The present results have been achieved through the maximum team effort of 19 employees. Lek endeavours to employ top experts, and therefore we mostly select masters and doctors of pharmaceutical science and physicians in forming our team in Slovakia. Since the objectives set for next year are ambitious as well, the organization of our operations in this tough market has been adapted accordingly," said the Director of the Lek Representative Office in Slovakia, Janez Kečler