In 1996 Alkaloid starts its biggest investment cycle. The first step of the development strategy of the company is the start with construction of a new factory for hard dose forms with surface of around 12.000 m2. A new quality move of Alkaloid during this period is the cooperation with the European Bank for reconstruction and development (EBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The contracts with the aforementioned international institutions, signed 1999, are a base for a new type of multilevel cooperation. By their means, on one side Alkaloid provides financial support of approximately 17,4 million euro and not as a traditional loan but as a convertible loan that EBRD and IFC may, at any moment, transfer into share capital in the company.
On the other side, by this type of cooperation realized in Macedonia for a first time, Alkaloid implements the most updated principles of corporate governance. The main business of Alkaloid - the Pharmaceuticals started implementing the strict norms for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Previously in the section Botanicals were introduced the highest existing ISO standards, introduced later on in all the production capacities of Alkaloid and constantly upgraded. All this creates conditions for the leading Macedonian pharmaceutical brand to reach the level of the world-known drug manufacturers. During 1999 was completed the new warehouse for ready made drugs together with a modern distribution center and in April 2000 started functioning the most up to date warehouse for raw-material and packaging.
Under the motto - breakthrough on the world market, the investment intensified during 2002 with the start of the new factory for solid dose forms and the one for semi-synthetic cephalosporines as the only one in the region that have introduced all of the GMP standards. For purpose of better quality and more efficient production, Alkaloid is in process of constructing and equipping a modern department for packaging the drugs, in amount of 4.5 million EUR, with two new lines: packing hard forms (tablets, dragees and capsules) with capacity of 200.000 packages per minute and for ampoules with capacity of 30.000 ampoules per minute. In order to provide higher degree of automation of the manufacturing process, 600.000 EUR are invested both for the production line for dosing and packaging solutions for oral use and also adaptation of the premises for warehousing the semi-products.
In 2004 the oldest production plant of Alkaloid is relocated from its location in the quarter Avtokomanda to Gjorche Petrov in the new plant that, with higher standards and more sophisticated equipment, provides higher quality of the production. The general principle of the management team for continuous investing as a pre-condition for remaining on the world market and with the new agenda the investments are orientated mainly in equipment and technologies. A new, totally automated equipment, with much higher capacity and performances is installed in the Botanicals, similar upgrading is introduced also in Cosmetics. In the year 2000 Alkaloid-Pharmaceuticals becomes member of the European Generics Association of Drug Producers. In favour of the top quality of the final product, significant investment funds are allocated also in the process of control and providing quality of the drugs: the most up-to-date microbiological laboratory 1,2 million euro worth and additional 500.000 euro for the new chemical laboratory.
By completion of the investment cycle, we provided that all the manufacturing cycle - since the entry of the raw material in the factory all along till the output of final product, takes place in compliance with the highest European standards for manufacturing drugs. This has been verified by several foreign inspection services from EU countries and from the American multinational Pfizer for which Alkaloid is a partner of choice for decades already. In 2002 Alkaloid sells its first license for the drug Caffetin for the Russian market, a business success that rarely any Macedonian producer may state to have. The company may also be proud with the patenting of its preparation Novamorf in USA in 2003. The cooperation with the Bosnian pharmaceutical producer Pharmavita is initiated 2005 and it covers few of the recognizable drugs of the Alkaloid assortment. The production range of Alkaloid is placed on the markets of 29 countries, the company covers by its subsidiaries the Russian Federation, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Albania. Opening the subsidiary in USA in February this year marks the start of the realization of our plan for breaking through on one of the most selective markets in the world.
According to the latest data, Alkaloid exports on foreign markets over 70% of its production - a fact that confirms the export orientation as a dominant one of the company. In the meantime Alkaloid becomes recognizable by its new, proactive marketing concept and the corporate European image. Among the priorities remains the care for the employees, the shareholders, environment, business partners, health system and above all - the health of the human beings.
The investments realized, the changes and increased overall business, especially during the last few years, impose the need for upgrading the existent and installing a modern IT system comprising integration and consolidation of the overall software network.
Facing our 70th anniversary, we started implementing SAP, a data transfer system worth over 2 million euro, a system that by its modules integrates completely all the business segments of the company. This also strengthens Alkaloid's position of a leader in one more field, as this is the first registered SAP that a company in our country installs. Since November 2002 the company is quoted on the official market of the Macedonian Stock Exchange. Alkaloid is the first company in Macedonia to open and confirm its legitimacy before the public by transparently presenting the balances of its financial operations for viewing by all the potential investors. Alkaloid was elected the most transparent of the companies quoted on the stock market for the year 2003, while our share is the most traded with and the most liquid on the Macedonian stock market.
During the last 20 years Alkaloid has invested in its upgrading an amount between 70 and 80 million euro. Alongside with introduction of new technologies changes also the structure of the employees in favour of highly educated human resources. In its vision Alkaloid remains with its orientation that the most worthwhile investment for any company is the human being with its education for managing new technologies, which is undoubtedly important for the development and existence of the company which continues its success story by facing new challenges.