Pharmaceutical market accounts for a major segment in the Netherlands chemical industry. The chemical industry in the Netherlands is composed of several company clusters that are strongly interlinked. Large companies for specialty and bulk chemicals join forces with small and medium-sized enterprises along with knowledge-rich entrepreneurs. The waste product in a chemical process often acts as the raw material for the next. This partnership within the industry yields a rich knowledge infrastructure. The Dutch chemical industry has a strong foothold in areas like process technology, smart polymeric materials, and chemical innovations. The country has been involved in the development of self-repairing, self-cleaning plastics, materials for the generation of solar cells, and new molecules for medical applications. In this domain, Netherlands has links with international initiatives like the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Rhine-Ruhr-Area (ARRRA) cluster. ARRRA produces nearly 40% of the European Union’s chemical products. The Dutch government has allocated the chemical sector as one of the top 9 in which the country wants to excel. The chemical sector is heavily organized around an internationalization agenda.
The specialty chemicals market can be segmented by the type of specialty chemicals. This includes construction chemicals, ceramic materials, plastic additives, textile chemicals, etc. The specialty chemical sector can also be segmented based on the functionality. This includes catalysts, enzymes, antioxidants, and specialty pigments among many others.
The strong presence of the pharmaceutical industry
The Netherlands pharmaceutical market is expected to grow with a compound annual growth rate of 5.8% during 2018-2026. The country is an ideal base for biopharmaceutical operations. The presence of world-class research, an excellent healthcare system, and a highly educated workforce contribute to the development of this industry in the Netherlands. Also, the central location of the country enhances the benefits to establish the pharmaceutical market. Medicine and healthcare spending has increased over the past few years. This reflects a strong potential for infrastructure building, new medicine development, and new expansion opportunities. The Dutch government has been taking various initiatives to reduce the price of pharmaceutical products.
As of 2018, there were around 2,400 drug stores in the country. Nearly 670 of them were independent and 1,700 were a franchise. It has been observed that the number of drug stores is expected to increase during 2018-2026, which will supplement the growth of this sector. The revenue in the over-the-counter pharmaceutical market is projected to reach USD 674 million in 2021.
Health spending has been increasing in the Netherlands and stands at the fourth position in the European Union. This rise in the overall spending is mostly due to the comparatively large long-term care expenditure. As per the data published by the Central Bureau Voor de Statistiek, the total healthcare expenditure per capita in the Netherlands was USD 6,850 in the year 2018.
The cardiovascular system segment is expected to hold the largest market share by volume in 2018 in the country. According to the data published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the number of deaths in the country was 153,000 in 2018. Roughly 25% of the deaths were due to cardiovascular diseases and 1% due to influenza.
The Netherlands pharmaceutical market is competitive and consists of several major players. In terms of market share, few of the major players are currently dominating the market. Some of these prominent companies are vigorously considering joint ventures with other companies to consolidate their market positions in the country.
Abbott Laboratories is an American multinational healthcare and medical devices company. The company formulates known drugs, sells medical devices, diagnostics, nutritional products, among many others. The company employs over 109,000 people across 160 countries. Science and innovation have been crucial for the company for more than 130 years. People all over the world require affordable and high-quality medicines to lead a healthier life. Abbott offers treatment for different focus areas such as cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal, gynecological, respiratory, etc.
Novartis International AG is a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company in Switzerland. It is one of the largest pharma companies in the world and holds a prominent position in the Dutch pharmaceutical sector. Novartis manufactures drugs like clozapine, diclofenac, methylphenidate, etc. In 1996, Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz merged the agrochemical and pharmaceutical divisions and formed Novartis as an independent entity. Novartis is a full member of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers. Novartis is active worldwide and the company focuses on the development of innovative patented and generic medicines.
Pfizer is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies, founded in New York. Pfizer is one of the major pharmaceutical companies in the Netherlands. The medicines and vaccines manufactured by Pfizer help people fight various diseases. Through global resources and innovation, the company improves the health and well-being of people at every stage of life. Pfizer produces pharmaceuticals and vaccines along with various world-renowned vitamins. The employees of Pfizer work in developing and developed countries to prevent and treat today’s most serious diseases. Pfizer now operates in more than 50 countries.