LaGray Receives Frost and Sullivan African Excellence Award 2009

Dec. 11, 2009 - PRLog -- On Wednesday November 25th 2009, LaGray Chemical Company received the Frost & Sullivan African Excellence Award for innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. The award ceremony which was held at the Hilton Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa, is an annual event that recognizes innovation and best practices in business and industry on the African continent. LaGray was one of 22 companies from a variety of sectors selected for this international recognition.

In the press release preceding the award, Frost & Sullivan analyst Lizelle Wentzel stated: “Innovation on the African continent is almost non-existent. The challenges that Africa faces daily has made the continent dependent on global import. With the majority of pharmaceuticals imported into the continent, Africa is dependent on global manufacturers to feed and sustain their healthcare needs. Apart from a limited number of companies manufacturing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in South Africa, LaGray Chemical Company is the only company outside the borders of South Africa that is set up to manufacture APIs - a true lead of innovation in the pharmaceutical industry”.

During the award ceremony, Phil Howarth, Partner and Director of African Operations for Frost & Sullivan said: “The company's vertical strategy to operate in the complete value chain of pharmaceutical production, manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients for the production of the complete products, has proven its innovativeness to grow in the pharmaceutical industry, and to successfully expand in the remaining parts of West Africa. With the company only starting its endeavor, it is expected that it will continue to increase its market presence through the continuous production of quality pharmaceutical products that address the needs of the market”

On stage to receive the award were Dr. Paul Lartey and Dr. Alexandra Graham, Chief Executive and Chief Operating officers respectively of LaGray. In his remarks, Dr. Lartey thanked Frost & Sullivan for the prestigious international recognition. “Our sincerest gratitude goes to the people of LaGray, the LaGray family, for their hard work, dedication and loyalty that have made this award possible”. He also thanked God for guidance and making the impossible possible.
Accompanying Drs. Graham and Lartey to the award ceremony were Mr. John Allotey and Mr. Maxwell Twum-Boateng, Business Development manager and Senior Marketing Specialist respectively of LaGray.  “We face numerous challenges in our efforts to operate at the highest standards in the business and at the same time introduce new pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies in West Africa. It is extremely gratifying to be recognized for our efforts. This award is a tremendous encouragement to us” commented Dr. Lartey.

LaGray chemical Company is a vertically integrated pharmaceutical manufacturing company in Ghana, with the technology to produce both APIs and finished pharmaceutical products.  The company was designed and built to be compliant with international standards in pharmaceutical manufacturing and is the first in West Africa with API manufacturing capabilities. Established in 2000, the company has a presence in Ghana and Nigeria and has products registered in four other West African countries.

Frost & Sullivan's Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievements and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

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LaGray is the first vertically integrated pharmaceutical manufacturing company in West Africa. We produce both active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and finished dosage forms. We are the first manufacturer of APIs in West Africa.