• Today, the Swiss multinational SGS, Colombia’s leader in verification, inspection, analysis and certification services, opened its first pharmaceutical and cosmetics laboratory for all Latin America in Bogotá.
• To open this new laboratory, SGS invested one million dollars.
With 45 years of presence in Colombia, the Swiss multinational SGS, which helps businesses in various sectors to increase their quality, safety, efficiency, productivity, and speed to market, chose Bogotá to open the first laboratory to serve national and throughout Latin America manufacturers of cosmetic and pharmacist’s products.
Bogotá, October 4, 2022. Today, with the opening of a new laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and technology, SGS seeks to take advantage of Bogotá’s strategic location and its logistics facilities to meet the needs of other countries in the region and at the international level. Although this is not the first SGS laboratory in Colombia, it is the only one of its kind, since, with it, the company seeks to become the Latin American hub for the provision of services in both industries.
“The recent pandemic has once again highlighted the great importance of the pharmaceutical sector and the need to increase Colombia’s health autonomy to avoid depending so much on imports. This implies encouraging companies with local production to increase their capabilities and product portfolio. SGS wants to be a local partner with global capacity and experience to support the development of both industries.” Indicates Iván Domínguez, managing director of SGS Colombia.
With more than 2,300 employees in the country, 70% of whom work from Bogotá, and an investment of one million dollars in this new laboratory, SGS reaffirms its confidence and the suitability of Bogotá as a provider of qualified talent, as the company seeks to generate 5% more employment in the next three years.
In this regard, Isabella Muñoz, executive director of Invest in Bogota, comments that “this step that SGS is taking is cause for celebration, because as an entity that promotes investment for the city, we see that it is a fact that businessmen, investors and decision makers confirm that there is a market, qualified talent and opportunities for their businesses here. At the end of 2021, the pharmaceutical market in Colombia reached 5,200 million dollars in sales, while 60% of the manufacturers are located in the Bogotá Region and 49% of the jobs are generated.”
Regarding the size of the cosmetic and pharmaceutical market, Colombia is the fourth country to appear after Brazil, Mexico and Argentina among those that represent a very significant volume for the industry. Likewise, these countries play a preponderant role in the exports that are currently made from Colombia to other countries, which have great potential for development in the coming years.
The cosmetic sector in Colombia has been one of the traditional players in the national industry with significant investments in research and development to access international markets and differentiate its products before increasingly demanding and knowledgeable consumers.
This is possible thanks to a broad portfolio of services based on seven lines of business: Industrial; Environment (sustainability, carbon footprint and circular economy); Natural Resources (mining and polymetals); Health & Nutrition; Connectivity & Products (mass consumer goods); Oil and Gas and Knowledge (Quality Management Systems and training). SGS also offers the services through its 12 laboratories: environmental, construction, geochemical, coal and coke, petrochemical, food and agriculture in addition to on-site laboratories available to clients 365 days a year.
Bogotá is already the central base in Colombia of SGS and has the ideal conditions for the development of its services. With this new laboratory, it is planned to meet local requests and those from other countries, with its network of commercial offices in Latin America, and it is planned to make expansions and increase capacities in the medium term, which implies new investments. “At SGS we believe and are committed to the development of the National Industry in two very important sectors for the country: pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal and home care.” Dominguez concludes.
