Ego Pharmaceuticals is the largest Australian-owned pharmaceutical company specialising in dermatology. The company conducts its own research and development; manufacturing and marketing more than 120 products, including iconic brands such as Pinetarsol, QV Skincare and SunSense sunscreen.
The company exports to 27 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and Europe. Key export markets include Taiwan and Jordan, where Ego achieved 128 per cent year-on-year sales growth respectively. The company also achieved strong sales in Saudi Arabia (73 per cent growth in year-on-year sales) and Hong Kong (32 per cent). In the UK, SunSense is the number one sunscreen prescribed by dermatologists, and the leading brand in independently owned pharmacies.
In 2015–16, Ego increased export sales by 31 per cent on the previous year, entered South Korea and the Maldives, and launched online stores on Tmall (the largest e-commerce platform in China) and JD.com (the second largest), providing the company with direct distribution into China.
Ego works to maintain cost of its products by finding creative ways to reduce costs. This includes frequent process re-engineering, continuous development of its employees and ongoing investment in equipment and building works. To cater for projected export growth, in 2016, the company opened a new $15 million flammable–goods production facility that will double its bottle-filling capacity. The company is also building a $35 million state-of-the-art global headquarters and distribution centre in Dandenong, Victoria.
The judges commended Ego for demonstrating a sophisticated international marketing strategy and a solid commitment to international business. “Ego Pharmaceuticals is showing it can leverage its suite of products to achieve market penetration in several foreign markets”.
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