Big investment in Catalca from ALVIMEDICA
Alvimedica has been producing medical devices in Turkey and offering worldwide. The company opened a facility incorporating Europe’s biggest Class 10.000 Clean-Room (sterilized production area). Minister of Health Recep Akdag who inaugurated the new facility said; “We are proud of opening this building which proves how far Turkey has come today in medical technology. The catheters manufactured here are being copied by other countries.”
Alvimedica is the first and the only company in Turkey manufacturing angioplasty balloon catheters and stents, and has established itself as the world’s 4th biggest catheter producer with production facilities and improved technologies. The opening ribbon was cut together by Minister of Health Recep Akdag and General Manager of Alvimedica Dr. Cem F. Bozkurt to lay the foundations at ‘Catalca Free Zone’ in May 2008. General Manager of Alvimedica Dr. Cem F. Bozkurt spoke during the inauguration of the facility, which is based on a 5.500 m2 area: “Whilst saying that we quadrupled our income, it will be $22 million in 2009. Then he also said: “More importantly, we have reached a point in selling technology in medical science. We compete with giants. Chinese people copy our products. However, they can not even get close to our level of quality.”
At the production facility, with its advanced technology; balloon catheters and stents are manufactured and new technologies are being developed for stent production. It has Europe’s largest ‘Clean-Room’ to ensure that products are being manufactured in a sterile environment in the factory. The production volume will be five times more with this investment. The factory was established with 100% Turkish funding, and the products manufactured here are being exported to Russia, People’s Republic of China, India, Iran, Egypt and South America, besides Turkey. $4, 5 million was allocated just for the R&D initiatives in 2009 which makes the factory a $21 million investment. The company produced $6 million income in 2008, and it aims to reach $22 million in 2009. Export targets are expected to increase with the new production facility. The company has achieved sales of 60% of its products to the Turkish market whereas and the remaining 40% to 22 different countries. The company employs 157 personnel in its factory located in Catalca.
General Manager Dr. Cem F. Bozkurt answered questions during the press meeting and said that he was delighted by the news that had arrived from overseas recently: “Prof. Renu Virmani (the Director of International Pathology Registration Centre) of CVPath Institute, carried out a clinical study on Alvimedica’s drug-coated stent: Coracto -which is the first and the only stent embodying a totally biodegradable polymer. As a result of this study Dr. Virmani, stressed that the drug in this stent cured vessel illnesses. She also said that the stent demonstrates a high patient adaptability as well as with its unique features in improving the patients’ quality of life. Dr. Virmani is one of the most reputable names and acclaimed worldwide in this subject area. Her praise lightens our burden of responsibility and encourages us to dedicate ourselves in our work.”
The Minister of Health Recep Akdag inaugurated the new facility, and made a remark by saying: “this facility demonstrates the power of the Turkish entrepreneurs. As the Ministry of Health, I champion equal implementing in transforming health programs. A 78 year old person who is having a heart attack could be taken to the hospital from his small village by a helicopter ambulance. Once treated, he could be returned to his village named Hınıs located in Erzurum 3 days later”. Akdag pointed out that: “one of the important steps in transforming health care programs is being able to use the technology at lower costs”. He said “Today MR procedure costs €250 in Spain and $200 in Yemen. In Turkish currency, these costs are equal to 550 TL for Spain and 300 TL for Yemen. A high-quality MR procedure costs less than 80 TL in Turkey.”
Akdag stressed that one of the reasons for being successful in the health care service is using the technology in a rational way. Then he added: “Today we send hundreds of people overseas. However, thousands of people come from overseas to Turkey to be treated. Today, I hope that we have taken the first step in Catalca in the way that leads to the establishment of an organized region in the fields of medicine and medical devices. I can see the enthusiasm and the potential that will support this ideal here. If we stay dependant on the outside world for these matters, coping with the costs will inevitably become unbearable at some point.
