QIAGEN Earns Distinguished Award for Competitive Strategy Leadership
biz.yahoo.com
Monday May 15, 6:47 am ET
Frost & Sullivan Recognizes the Company's Strategic Initiatives in the Asia Pacific Molecular Testing Market
VENLO, THE NETHERLANDS--(MARKET WIRE)--May 15, 2006 -- QIAGEN, a worldwide leading provider of products for pre-analytical sample preparation and molecular diagnostics, has been presented the prominent 2006 Frost & Sullivan Competitive Strategy Leadership Award in recognition of the company's strategic initiatives in the Asia Pacific molecular testing market, the company announced today.
"We are pleased to have received this award which recognizes our strategic and operational activities in Asia," said Peer M. Schatz, CEO of QIAGEN. "We take pride in our role as the market and technology leader in pre-analytical and molecular diagnostics solutions and are working hard to expand our leadership positions also in the rapidly growing Asian markets," Mr. Schatz added.
Frost & Sullivan, a renowned global growth consulting firm that supports clients in the development of innovative growth strategies, in particular recognized QIAGEN's innovative acquisitions, mergers, and strategic alliances, which strengthened the company's global presence and increased its penetration into the highly attractive Asia Pacific nucleic acid testing markets.
In 2005, QIAGEN acquired two China-based companies - Tianwei Times (now renamed TianGen) and Shenzhen PG Biotech. Both acquisitions were targeted at increasing QIAGEN's market potential in its core focus areas of producing pre-analytical and assay solutions for nucleic acid testing markets. The transactions significantly increased QIAGEN's products optimized for the Asian nucleic acid testing and diagnostics markets. Through these and other measures, QIAGEN in a very short time created a mirror image of the QIAGEN strategic profile in China, while still reflecting local needs in the market for pre-analytical and molecular diagnostic solutions in this region.
In its recognition, Frost & Sullivan highlighted that QIAGEN overcame high barriers for foreign manufacturers to effectively penetrate the heterogeneous nucleic acid testing markets in the region. Since 2004, the company significantly strengthened its presence in Asia through an extensive network of local distributors and two subsidiary offices in Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur. QIAGEN currently employs more than 200 scientists, sales and marketing and other staff in Asia. In 2006, QIAGEN has formally established QIAGEN ASIA as its fourth regional group (alongside North America, Europe and Japan). QIAGEN ASIA has assumed responsibility for QIAGEN operations and the company's extensive distributor network in the region. The creation of QIAGEN ASIA allows the company to better respond to the needs of its Asian customers.
The acquisition of Beijing-based TianGen increases the range of pre-analytical sample management options provided by QIAGEN to this market. Thanks to the strong research and manufacturing capabilities of TianGen, the acquisition is expected to further accelerate the development of new products that cater to the needs of Asia Pacific customers.
Acquiring Shenzhen PG Biotech transformed QIAGEN into a leading provider of molecular diagnostic solutions to the Chinese market. PG Biotech was the first company in China to receive GMP certification for its in-vitro diagnostic manufacturing plant and the first company to receive the production approval from the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) for quantitative fluorescent PCR diagnostic kits. The company has an extensive distribution network and employs over 120 staff. It currently manufactures approved HIV, HBV, and HCV Real-Time PCR fluorescent detection kits as well as PCR-based kits for SARS, HPV, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, neisseria, and chlamydia. The company's Avian flu (H5N1) detection kit for veterinary, import-export control, and quarantine purposes is the most widely used test kit in China.
Frost & Sullivan expects the company to develop many innovative products for the Asia Pacific markets in the near future. "In recognition of QIAGEN's foresight and innovative strategies, Frost & Sullivan is pleased to present QIAGEN ASIA with the 2006 Best Practice Award for Competitive Strategy Leadership in the nucleic acid testing markets in Asia Pacific," said Frost & Sullivan's Ms. Reenita Das, VP Healthcare APAC of Frost & Sullivan. "QIAGEN's name is widely recognized by end users as being synonymous with high-quality products targeting a clearly defined, rapidly growing area of the Life Sciences. Its competitive strategies have effectively reaffirmed its position as the leading provider of molecular solutions to the Asian market and have enabled it to maintain and develop its market share in line with increasing demand from the Asia Pacific markets," Ms. Das added. |
