Medifiq Healthcare
Medifiq’s picture of health
With over 30 years experience in the industry, Medifiq Healthcare is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of medical devices, drug delivery systems and personal care products.
Through its excellence and know-how in design, industrialisation and manufacturing, it has become the company of choice for a number of the leading companies in the healthcare industry. That number could be set to grow in 2008 as Medifiq plans to showcase its services at a number of trade fairs.
The company provides its customers with a subcontracting service that meets the stringent quality requirements that are necessary in the medical sector. Its headquarters are located in Ayritie, Finland, while its manufacturing operations take place in plants Lehmo, Finland, and Tyne and Wear, Britain. Through the use of its partner networks, other locations such as a plant in Guangzhou, China – which is owned by its minority shareholder, Perlos – can also be used. Medifiq is keener than ever to showcase the products manufactured in these locations, and the services it provides, to a wider audience and is in the midst of an aggressive strategy to increase its client base.
After appearing at an exhibition in Edinburgh in December of last year, the company will be participating at events in Paris, Stuttgart and Birmingham in the coming months. “It is very important for us to meet with our customers and potential clients,” says Jouni Pohjonen, the president of Medifiq. “We are able to show the abilities that we have and the competences that we possess. The reaction has been very good, I think we have been very well received,” he comments.
Such reactions are no accident; the company’s lineage dates back to 1953 when, under the name Perlos, it began the operations of its first injectionmoulding machine. The company took steps to move into the expanding healthcare market in the 1970s by installing an asthma inhaler assembly in a clean-room facility at its plant in Joensuu, Finland. The year 2006 saw the beginning of a new era when the Ratos Group bought the majority shareholding. As well as a changing of the company name, the new ownership has bought with it the implementation of innovative and groundbreaking ideas. As the owner, Ratos Group offers security and continuity for Medifiq customers, which is important in healthcare business due to the long life-time of products and long business relations.
With the company now fully focused on healthcare, Medifiq is keen to develop both its clientele and its service and product portfolio. “We are continually developing new products for our customers. Some of the core products we haveinclude inhalers, injection devices, syringes, diagnostic products, and various other safety devices. In the last 12 months we have added a number of clients and as we do so, our rate of production increases,” Jouni says.
Those new customers have been added to a list that reads like a who’s who of the medical industry. Such names as Bayer Healthcare, Bausch and Lomb, Takeda, and Medix Biochemica all work closely with Medifiq, and there is a clear belief that the conditions of the market mean many more will follow. “The contract design and contract management sector is increasing. This is because more and more companies are realising the benefits of outsourcing their development and manufacturing. We are involved in a market that is growing so there is a clear need and increasing opportunities for players such as ourselves,” Jouni comments.
He is also quick to highlight the company’s employees for praise and is keen to stress that they share a commitment to the company’s clientele. Summarising their strengths, Jouni says: “The workforce we have is very skilled and well trained; we provide a number of programmes to help them improve. It is also important that they have the motivation to do the very best job possible. Perhaps most importantly, they more than understand the importance of the close relationships we have with our customers.”
As well as finding individuals who display both a great deal of talent and subscribe to the company ethos, there are many other challenges. Jouni adamant that standards must be maintained if Medifiq is to maintain, and strengthen, its reputation as a leading healthcare outsourcing partner, which is able to cope with most the demanding of needs. “We must display the necessary competences, quality processes, and a strong knowledge of our customers’ market. We have to highlight that we understand the need for quality products and service in this industry. We will continue to show that we have an awareness of the need for long-term commitment. The relationships we have forged, and will continue to do so, are all important,” he insists.
Asked to outline his vision for Medifiq, Jouni says confidently: “We will continue to use the same approach for customers old and new because I feel it is the right one. I would use three words to sum up the company – competent, committed and quality. Because of this I see good and steady progress.”
Medifiq Healthcare
Products: Medical products
Sites: Finland, England, and China
Employees: 470
www.medifiq.com