Because the operating environment changes all the time, the agility and flexibility of operations will in future be as crucial as a low cost base. Efficiency improvement, cost control and diversity management are all essential for systematic improvement of competitiveness throughout the value chain. Orion’s key projects to improve operating efficiency have been implementing a new research and development model, building up partnership models for early-phase research, increasing efficiency in the supply chain and improving the competitiveness of sales operations.

Networking and seeking partners throughout the value chain will facilitate improvements to competitiveness and establishing a foundation for profitable future growth. R&D collaboration and active networking will enable Orion to increase the number of new research projects and balance the risks of projects in the research pipeline. Through partnerships in the supply chain, Orion will improve the efficiency of its operations by determining which products it will manufacture itself and to what extent products or semi-finished products will be acquired from outside the Group. Partnerships in sales and marketing will ensure a broad network of distribution channels through which proprietary drugs developed by Orion will be distributed worldwide. Moreover, the product portfolio can be expanded by selling the partners’ products through Orion’s own sales network. In addition, outsourcing certain business support and administrative functions will increase the flexibility of operations.

Through these strategic actions, Orion seeks to enhance its capability to continue operating as a pharmaceuticals and diagnostics company that provides new products and engages in R&D.