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Mexico Report
Mexico Report
But can we call Mexico a real ‘hub’ for
the pharmaceutical industry
This June, the 21st Convention of CAN-
IFARMA was held in Merida in the State
of Yucatan. The event culminated in defining
the sector’s development plan concerning
the coming period 2012-2018. The
first phase defined 54 courses of action representing
the strategic points that can empower
the industry. The second phase was
the integration of the industry’s first census
in Mexico, delivered in Merida.
The census concluded that of course it
was necessary for the 186 companies that
make up CANIFARMA to come together
to turn the industry into an authentic generator
of jobs, attractive for new investments,
but with a special focus on manufacturing.
Rafael Gual of
CANIFARMA
clearly states, “Our
goal is to make the
Mexican pharmaceutical
industry the
biggest manufacturing
sector in Mexico
Miguel A. Salazar,
General Director,
Boehringer Ingelheim
Mexico
over the next 5 to 6
years. Currently
pharmaceutical
manufacturing represents
7% of manufacturing
GDP in Mexico, and we want
to push it into first place.”
In 2008 COFEPRIS abolished articles
168 and 170 of pharmaceutical legislation,
which meant that companies no longer
needed a plant in Mexico in order to distribute
their products in the country. Since
then, five companies have entered the market
without a Mexican manufacturing
plant. This includes Spanish company Menarini,
Daiichi Sankyo from Japan, and
Swedish Meda Pharma. But it also resulted
in several multinationals re-assessing
their Mexican manufacturing strategies
as plants were no longer required to be
part of the market.
Miguel A. Salazar, general director of
Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico points out,
“The pharmaceutical real estate market is
getting crowded because everyone is selling
their plants.”
Facilities of Boehringer Ingelheim
There are some obvious benefits in setting
up a manufacturing hub for Latin
America in Mexico, as compared to Brazil.
Labor costs are significantly lower, it is
geographically very strategic bordering the
United States, and Mexico also shares a
common language with most of the region.
“In 1995, Boehringer Ingelheim wrote
their manufacturing strategy and decided
that Mexico was to be a center of excellence
in terms of manufacturing, and the
company invested more than 70 million
USD in a new plant which would be one
Taking care of your
health, naturally.
Your partner of choice for
herbal medicines.
of the manufacturing hubs for the rest of
the world.” says Salazar, confident of the
company’s award-winning plant located
in the south of Mexico City.
“Around 60% of our products are exported
globally and 40% is local. We are
focused on high quality and high delivery.”
He continues.
Along the same lines, Bertrand Baron
of Sanofi comments, “Today we have three
manufacturing sites in total and we strongly
believe in increasing our business in
Mexico… 80% of what we sell in terms
of volume is coming from our local plant.
I would be shooting myself in the foot if I
withdrew our Mexican plant.”
Despite these multinationals here to
stay, how can the industry live up to Gual’s
tough target of becoming the number one
manufacturing sector for the country Socorro
España Lomeli of ANAFAM strongly
believes that the government should play
a bigger role, especially when it comes to
local companies.
If you are interested in forming strategic alliances, please contact us!
Circuito de la productividad No. 105, Parque Industrial Guadalajara
El Salto, Jalisco, Mexico, C.P. 45690
Teléfono: 0052 33 3836 4570 | Fax: 0052 33 3836 4593
www.biofarmalab.com.mx
AUGUST 2012 FOCUS REPORTS S20
FOCUS REPORTS August 2012
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