first of all...a little introduction from their official website...
"As a worldwide company with an established history of supplying medical solutions, B. Braun in Malaysia stands second-to-none in corporate excellence.
Our broad range of surgical, pharmaceutical and healthcare management products consistently satisfy customers like hospitals, healthcare professionals and strategic business partners.
At B. Braun, we share knowledge and know-how. We share ideas and insights. We share improvements and advancements. At B. Braun, we share expertise."
in summary...its a damn big multinational company with its plant as big as USM in Penang...ok?
now a piece of news a year ago (NST Business Times and Star Biz, 5 March 2008)
"Germany’s B. Braun is set to spend in an additional RM450 million to expand its operations in Penang over the next two years. This will make its plant, under B. Braun Medical Industries Sdn Bhd, one of the largest intravenous (IV) standard solution facilities in Asia.
Some RM350 million would be invested under Phase 1 of the expansion, which would see an additional 6,000 sq m of production area, as well as the setting up of a new research and development centre for IV access products, B.Braun Industries President, H.D. Kim, said at a media conference in Penang.
Work on Phase 1 is expected to begin in mid-2008 and is targeted for completion in 2010. The new advanced facility, equipped for high–end production, would adopt the latest automation technology that would provide a quality working environment for its skilled workforce, as more engineers and technicians are expected to be recruited for the expansion.
A subsequent expansion scheduled in 2011 would involve an investment of another RM100 million and this would increase production capacity by 1.5 times, he added.
Kim said B. Braun Penang was designated as the group’s Global Manufacturing Headquarters for IV access products in 2006. In addition, the Penang facility also operates as B. Braun’s Regional Distribution Centre (RDC) for Asia.
B. Braun, which has a strong three-decade investment record in Malaysia, has to-date invested some RM900 million and employs 4,800 workers in the country."
in summary...its a damn big multinational company which is investing A LOT of money and hiring A LOT of employees in Malaysia...ok?
now a piece of news today (The Star 2 June 2009)
"The Health Ministry has always practised the open tender process when buying pharmaceutical and medical products, says Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
He said those registered with the Ministry of Finance could go through Pharmaniaga Bhd that had the exclusive rights to distribute pharmaceutical and medical products to the ministry. However, he said that companies which had issues with the matter could write in to the ministry.
Liow said he had always championed for pharmaceutical companies to be more competitive.
The minister was commenting on a statement by B. Braun corporate controlling, finance and information technology vice-president Dieter Gemmer that the company was considering to move part of its operations, specifically pharmaceuticals, from Penang to Indonesia because it did not wish to go through “medical middlemen” to sell its products.
Gemmer had said that all the company wanted was to be allowed to participate in open tenders instead of having to sell their products through a third party.
“If there are specific allegations, the company can raise the matter to me. The ministry will investigate the matter,” Liow told reporters yesterday."
and if you don't see the problem in the above article...let me explain...
B.Braun...a damn big multinational company is considering to move partly to our neighbour, Indonesia...
they had been in the country for 30 year...expanding and commited...but suddenly they wanna move out...what could be the reason?
all they asked for is to participate in tenders directly, not through middlemen...
and how my dear boss responded?
"oh...we practise open and fair tender...all companies can participate through Pharmaniaga...can write to us...we will investigate...bla bla bla..."
anything about "middlemen" or "third party"?...definitely not in the above article...
ok...i was attached briefly to the hospital integrated store...my boss then was in charged of purchasing medications...specifically the big-shot expensive meds...
for certain meds...we must open-tender...invite all the companies to quote their best price...
at the end of everything...we have to decide from which agent to purchase...and most of the time the lowest price wins...this i can assure you...no cronyism or favoritism by my boss...as far as i'd seen lar...of course we don't compromise safety and efficacy
but this is not what B.Braun is asking for...
they are asking to participate directly, bypassing the "medical middlemen"...
i guess i'm not supposed to comment more on this matter...but i doubt my dear boss can fulfill B.Braun's request...and being Germans...i guess they will be walking their talk...walking towards Indonesia...
thanks for chasing out a damn big multinational company...my dream potential future employer...
since they are moving out their pharmaceuticals...now i must go to Indonesia for my interview...
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ReplyDeleteYa! this is also my BIG question mark when i attached to the store!
ReplyDeletei asked my preceptor,"Why do we purchse the products from the middleman? Why dont we purchase directly from the big pharmaceutical company? Isn't it the price much more cheaper??"
my preceptor only answer me like this, "Erm, dont question me about this... i dont know.... erm, maybe, erm, they want to protect certain group...."
speechless, right?
annabelle = doraemon?
ReplyDelete