The list of China's top
500 enterprises has been revealed in early December, stating the most
successful companies in terms of market value for the year 2017. This year, 33
pharmaceutical enterprises have made it on the list, with two vitamin
manufacturers among them. The two enterprises are CSPC Pharmaceutical and
Zhejiang NHU. The first enterprise has a market value of USD12.39, while the
latter achieved USD6.09 in 2017.
CCM
provides an analysis of the two most successful vitamin enterprises in 2017 in
this article. For more information on China's vitamin manufacturers, please
have a look at the monthly China Vitamins Market Newsletter and get a free
trial of CCM's online database, containing several years of market research on
China's vitamins market and a Chinese company database with information on
product and production scope, financial data, suppliers and buyers, import and
export, and much more.
CSPC Pharmaceutical
CSPC
Pharmaceutical Group Limited is the worldwide largest vitamin C producer. The
headquarter is located in China's Hebei Province, close to the capital Beijing.
Besides vitamin C, the company is also producing caffeine, ampicillin,
penicillin, and amoxicillin in significant amounts.
The
enterprise is known as one of China's 500 Most Valuable Chinese Brands and Top
500 Chinese Enterprises for many years already.
The
enterprise, which states a vitamin C API production of 30,000t/a to 40,000t/a,
has benefited from the large vitamin C price rise in 2017 significantly. One of
the main reasons for the price rise was decreased output of China's vitamins in
2017, resulting from the stringent environmental policies and limitations for
production processes.
CSPC
had to suffer production cuts in 2017 as well, which pushed up the price for
vitamin C. CCM is of the opinion, that the fate of this major producer is going
to continue in the near future, further decreasing supply and pushing up
prices.
Most
of the provinces in China have issued their environmental protection tax
amounts successively, with regions like Hebei recording some of the highest
taxes. The new Environmental Protection Tax Law will come into effect in 2018.
CPSC Pharmaceutical, located in Hebei Province, has adjusted their strategies
from active pharmaceutical ingredients to new medicines.
Vitamin
producers are very likely to be the key targets of environmental supervision in
China.
In
May this year, CSPC had announced that one of its subsidiaries would acquire
all equities of CSPC Defeng for almost USD10 million. On the other hand, the
company had announced in April 2017 that it may spin off CSPC Innovation
Pharmaceutical and other subsidiaries listed in the A-share market.
Zhejiang NHU
Zhejiang
NHU is China's leading vitamin A producer. The company also produces a
significant share of vitamin E for the world market.
As
one of the leading producers of vitamin A, the company is enjoying high market
prices at the moment. In October, the price even reached a historical peak. The
high price is resulting from tight supply, which is strengthened by the peak
season for feeds. CCM predicts that the vitamin A price will continue rising in
the near future.
Zhejiang
NHU is also a leading producer of biotin. This raw material for feed additives
and pharmaceuticals has witnessed price rising in 2017 as well.
In
the first half of 2017, the company revealed a financial report which shows a
revenue of more than USD388 million, which represents a growth of 13.26% and a
net profit of USD87, up by 13.62%. The improvement was explained by officials
of the company with higher prices and increased sales of some of the leading
products.
Recently
the company announced that it plans to merge with its wholly-owned subsidiary
Zhejiang Xinweipu. After the merger, the enterprise will take over all of
business, assets, debts, and rights of the company. As vitamin prices are
increasing, Zhejiang NHU, as an industry giant, will achieve a turnaround in
the loss-making businesses of Zhejiang Xinweipu.
In
May 2017, Zhejiang NHU disclosed that it had 25,000t/a vitamin E powder and
6,000t/a vitamin A powder. The company furthermore started a methionine project
with a capacity of 50,000t/a, of which about 70% is already operated at full
capacity at the end of 2017.
About CCM