India-Specific Move Aligned with product Portfolio, Doctor's Specialisations

Herbal healthcare major Himalaya Drug Company has done a complete restructuring of its pharmaceutical division, setting up three strategic business units - Zenith, Zandra and Zindel. The move is in view of the company's growing base, product portfolio, and changing marketing needs.

The three divisions, along with dealing with different types of products, will also look at portfolio segmentation based on doctor's specializations.

Himalaya has under its umbrella leading pharma brands like Liv.52 Bonnisan, Pilex, Cystone and Septilin. Liv.52 is now the fifth largest pharma brand in terms of value.

Zenith, with a team of 450 representatives, would focus on general practitioners, surgeons, pediatricians and ENT specialists. Zandra would lay emphasis on women's healthcare with up to nine brands in this segment and target gynecologists, physicians, surgeons, orthopedists and dermatologists. Zindel would have lifestyle products, pure herbs and baby care products, targeted mainly at general practitioners and pediatricians.

"Products like pure herbs (neem, tulasi and ashvagandha), which are now available off the shell, will be taken to the doctors, These will move out of the advertised range of products and go directly to key opinion makers'" said Mr, Philipe Haydon, COO, Pharmaceutical division. Himalaya.

With these new divisions in place, the company has also ramped up its head count from 600 to 1000 in the last couple of months.

The company intends to double its doctor outreach to three lakh doctors, Mr. Haydon said. The restructuring of its pharma business is currently restricted to Himalaya's India Business.

With the new structuring, the company is looking at an annual growth of 30% in Zenith and Zandra and a 40% growth in Zindel. A similar structure may later be followed in the Russian market.

For Himalaya, the pharma division is the largest segment in terms of volume as well as value, accounting for up to 60% of the company's turnover. By 2010, the company expects to have more product lines and more segments. It currently has 17 new molecules in the pipeline, Mr. Haydon said.

IT’S Z- PLUS

• The new strategic business units are called Zenith, Zandra and Zindel
  
• The 450- strong Zenith team will focus on general practitioners, surgeons, pediatricians and ENT specialists
  
• Zandra would lay emphasis on women's healthcare with up to nine brands
  
• Zindel would have lifestyle products, herbs and baby care products, targeted at general practitioners and pediatricians