Technologies

There is no need to live and work in a large state to achieve results in the sphere of biotechnologies. The name of Fermentas is well known among the scientists of the world; there is no need to present it in laboratories. The Vilnius-based company of manufacture of reagents for molecular biology has mana-ged to become one of five largest companies of the world in its segment. None of economic difficulties of the world had an effect on the results of this company. “On the contrary, during the crisis, the hour of triumph has struck”, says Algimantas Markauskas, CEO of the Company, which is the leader in the market of DNA markers in Europe.

A separate enterprise in China

At the present time, nine companies on different continents of the world belong to the international corporation Fermentas International Inc. When expanding in the direction of the east, Fermentas founded a separate enterprise in China. The new enterprise Fermentas China situated in the town of Shenzhen near Hong Kong has already opened a warehouse of Lithuanian products from which products are distributed all over China.

“By expanding the network of distributors we shall seek to intensify the sale of Lithuanian biotechnological products. It was for this very reason that we have established a new warehouse: from now on customers of China will be able to receive a necessary product much faster, besides, labour costs of the distributors have decreased”, underlines Algimantas Markauskas.

Similar enterprises established by Fermentas, which are engaged in sales and marketing, are already operating in the USA, Canada, and the European countries. It is true, the headquarters of the corporation is not in Lithuania, it is located in the city of Burlington in Canada. As the CEO of Fermentas explained, the largest world market of biotechnologies is concentrated in North America; extensive scientific research is carried out there.

Flexibility is the strongest point

As in every segment, the same laws of competition apply to the market of biotechnologies. What has determined that products created in Fermentas were acknowledged in different countries?

Our customers appreciate us not only because we are establishing enterprises in their countries. Many of them note that Fermentas is a very flexible company. Yes, it is true, we know that flexibility is necessary when working in all countries, and especially in the small countries of Asia. Our representatives visit all countries where our products are sold; in this way trust of our partners is won”, noted CEO of Fermentas UAB Algimantas Markauskas.

He noted that partners of one of the most rapidly growing markets – the Chinese market – are sensitive to the trademark. Therefore, according to Algimantas Markauskas, work of several years has born fruit. “We translate all information into the Chinese language – from the Internet website to a simple flyer, as well as the catalogue of products consisting of about 600 pages”, noted the CEO of the Company.

According Algimantas Markauskas, flexibility in commu-nicating with partners and customers, irreproachable quality and rapid response to the need is what ensures the success story of the corporation. Furthermore, one of the leaders in manufacture of reagents in Europe can apply lower prices than its major competitors in the USA. Cheaper infrastructure and other reasons determine the edge over the competitors.

Therefore the trademark of Fermentas is well known in the market of biotechnologies of the world. Neither in China nor in India, all the more so in Europe, we need to present this trademark separately.

Figures of the growth are striking

The world economic crisis brought additional acceleration into to the industry of biotechnologies. Last year the Asian countries and the USA increased investments into high technologies. Last year China alone invested one billion Euros into this sphere. “Everybody understood that after the crises was over, he who put larger resources into the industry of biotechnologies would start better. Therefore we did not feel any difficulties. On the contrary, our increase accounts for 19 percent. Thus, during the crises our hour of triumph struck”, said Algimantas Markauskas. In China and India alone sales of Fermentas products have increased by as much as 30 per cent.

We put many hopes in the growing markets of Latin America, South Africa. “Every state understands that it is only by investing into high technologies that it can survive in fierce competition. There is no other way. Export of knowledge becomes a priority all over the world”, summed up the situation CEO of Fermentas.

Europe of slower movement and greater bureaucracy also increased investments in high technologies. Fermentas has received the European Union financing for more than one project.

Ideas are born at the Scientific Research Centre

The objective of Fermentas, as that of the whole world industry of biotechnologies, is the latest knowledge. Therefore in 2003, to create new products the Company established the Scientific Research and Development Centre.

“New markets and new spheres are opening, therefore we have to enhance experimental development”, explained the CEO of the Company Algimantas Markauskas. Scientific research is becoming new or improved products of biotechnology at the Centre. “We have made plans for a 20 per cent growth per year. Hence, this Scientific Research Centre will help us advance as rapidly as we have planned”, the CEO speaks about their ambitions.

Today Fermentas manufactures more than 760 products for life science research and diagnostics markets. The absolute majority of pro-ducts being manufactured are created at the laboratories of the Company.

It is not only the new products but also new spheres, spaces for scientific research and the possibilities to create new products that are provided for in the plans of Fermentas. The CEO of the Company regards molecular diagnostics in medicine as such spaces. It is true, that it is applied in different clinics in the world, however, in the opinion of the interlocutor, it is here that the new horizons for scientific research lie. Molecular diagnostics is oriented towards the causes of a disease rather than towards the analysis of the consequence. Work of criminalists, specialists in agriculture can no longer be imagined without biotechnological industry.

Personnel management has brought success to the Company
It is not only in laboratories that one should look for the reasons of a successful activity of Fermentas. Innovative management of the personnel contributed to the significance that Fermentas has on the map of biotechnologies. The Company that applied western standards has rated positions of all its employees according to the influence on the Company’s results. The employees know very well according to what criteria they can move higher up the career ladder, on what an increase in their salaries might depend. Besides, the very mana-gement of Fermentas is concentrated in the hands of the employees themselves. The fact that the shares of Fermentas International Inc are managed by a hundred employees working in for the same Company says a lot. More than 350 highly qualified specialists work at the Lithuanian Company of high technologies, including two professors and 32 PhDs.

Though Lithuania, whose population is hardly more than three million people, as the rest of the world, is always short of gifted scientists, the door of Fermentas is always open to the Lithuanians studying or working at world universities. By the way, some of them are returning to their motherland and pursue their career here quite successfully. However, it is equally important for Fermentas to train their own specialists. Even today there are many young people wor-king for the Company. Fermentas helps scientific research institutions to prepare specialists of biotechnologies, grants scholarships to students.

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