A commitment to healthcare brands and the people they serve.
In 2011, Medic Marketing Private Limited (Medic Marketing) adopted the new corporate brand logo — MediCan. The logo brings to mind the “I Can” spirit which underlines the story of Medic Marketing.
The company was inaugurated in 1991 as a medical and healthcare product distribution and marketing company by our founder, Mr Loo Kin Ben, who had until then had a successful career in Sales Management in Zuellig Pharma, a European multinational pharmaceutical company. Mr Loo saw himself as a champion of trustworthy and promising new healthcare brands and dedicated himself to helping these brands penetrate the market to benefit end-users with their efficacy.
Nimbleness, energy, wisdom and sincerity have been hallmarks of the company since its inception. These personality traits, combined with Mr Loo's social capital built through long years of experience in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, were quickly infused into its relationships with principals, suppliers and business partners.
Within three years of its inauguration, the company had successfully built impressive market shares for the brands it represented and its continued growth was seemingly assured.
Change and accelerated growth
Building resilience into the business.
2003 was a dramatic year for the healthcare business in Singapore. The SARS epidemic created huge growth in demand for many lines of products, creating a tremendous strain on supply chain logistics. At the same time, a major product recall occurred, resulting in much loss of confidence in the health supplement market. A major Australian pharmaceutical manufacturer behind many popular products in Singapore was found to be lacking in manufacturing standards.
It was a hectic time for Medic, as it was for most pharmaceutical and healthcare supplement suppliers. This experience caused Mr Loo and key managers to reflect deeply on the business models and processes, and to find new ways to insulate supply chain and operations from similar future shocks.
From 2005 onwards, the company adopted a new end-to-end approach with the following measures to ensure product quality at source, transport and warehousing efficiency, and ethical practices in advertising, promotions and sales:
- Improved the overall quality management system and processes, achieving ISO9001 Certification.
- Implemented improved standard operating procedures for vendor selection.
- Developed a more aggressive and systematic process for sourcing, branding and launching new products.
- Visited overseas manufacturers more frequently to validate the quality of manufacturing and management.
- Enhanced product marketing, advertising and promotion processes and distributor shelf-space management.
- Expanded the team of sales promoters and enlarged their account-management responsibilities.
- Strengthened the management team.
This strategy paid off. Company sales and profits began to grow, and exclusive distributorship for various new brands was acquired.
Record of achievements
Strength built through people, logistics and trusted relationships.
- Strong management leadership, including team members who have served the company since its founding.
- Strength in distribution, with brands distributed through more than 2,500 distribution points in Singapore, 1,000 in Indonesia and 1,000 in Hong Kong.
- Sound, responsive and ISO-certified logistical support infrastructure with more than 22,000 sq. ft. of office and warehouse space.
- Trusted reputation and social capital within the healthcare product value chain.
- A portfolio of popular brands including Black Gold, BioCalth, Rebound, Eagle, Double Prawn Oil, Neat Feat, No-Jet-Lag, Healtheries and NZ Health Naturally.
Moving ahead with the “I Can” resolve
Renewing our brand for tomorrow's stakeholders.
From 2010 to 2011, the company underwent a total re-branding programme to identify its intellectual assets and develop a roadmap to own, protect and exploit them for sustained competitiveness. One strategic initiative was to enhance the brand image and renew itself for tomorrow's stakeholders — customers, employees, principals, distribution network partners, manufacturers, hospitals, the medical industry and government agencies.
The new management team reaffirmed its vision to be one of Asia's leading and trusted brands for the marketing and distribution of medical and healthcare products. The company aspires to expand its distribution networks more aggressively throughout Asia.
It committed to a brand promise of “Making Lives Better” by working sincerely, energetically and wisely with principals and business partners to market healthcare and medical products. It also aims to inject more energy and professionalism into the management team and workforce, while retaining the wisdom behind its core values: motivated, ethical, diligent, innovative and caring.
The company recognises that its future success is not based only on product sales, revenue and profits, but on how stakeholders perceive its contribution to caring for the industry and community at large.