Kimia Farma is eyeing Middle East-Africa Market

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - Pharmaceutical SOE PT Kimia Farma (Persero) Tbk plans to expand to international level by entering the market of Middle East region and countries in continent of Africa.

"We will expand our business to the Middle East and Africa," said Kimia Farma Honesti Basyir, Director of Kimia Farma in Jakarta, Thursday (4/19/2010)

According to Honesti Basyir, various countries in Africa today many need pharmaceutical products.

This, he added, because so far these countries are still considered highly dependent on imports or pharmaceutical products from abroad.

Meanwhile, in the Middle East region, he said, Kimia Farma entered through its subsidiary Kimia Farma Dawaa, which acquired 60 percent of retail shares of pharmaceutical companies in Saudi Arabia.

"Our retail partners have 31 pharmaceutical outlets in Saudi Arabia," he said, adding that the market targeted by Kimia Farma in Saudi Arabia includes pilgrims and umrah from Indonesia, in addition to Indonesian citizens living there.

According to him, it is the "entry strategy" entering the Middle East region and initiate the construction of factories in Saudi Arabia.

Previously, Deputy GM of Kimia Farma Dawaan, Ida Rasita, in Jakarta, Monday (5/3) explains, Kimia Farma and Marei Bin Mahfouz (MBM) Group based in Saudi Arabia, just formed a joint venture, Kimia Farma Dawaa.

In the company Kimia Farma became the majority shareholder, after acquiring a 60 percent stake in Dawaa Medical Limited Company (Dawaa) a subsidiary of MBM.

Kimia Farma's capital investments in Dawaa amount to 38 million Saudi Arabian real estate, equivalent to Rp133 billion, which is used for the development of the company's business.

According to him, he is also reviewing the business of plant development in Saudi Arabia, which is planned to be built in 2020 and is targeted to operate in 2022.

Rasita explains, the pharmaceutical industry in the upstream sector in Saudi Arabia is a bit late to develop, so the country opened and facilitate investment permits for investment. (Ant)