Wednesday, 1 January 2014 09:27
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A popular name in the healthcare industry, Harcourts, is celebrating 25 years of success today.
The story of Harcourts started a quarter of a century ago from a one room set-up at Glen Aber Place, Colombo on 1 January, 1989. It was all one man’s dream and the dedication of a couple of individuals who believed.
“In the initial days worked with the spirit of a crusader. We overcame numerous hurdles and skirted many road blocks created by vested interests to smother our progress. The medical profession welcomed us whole-heartedly and rendered full co-operation to our budding venture. Many eminent medical professionals of that era extended their full support to us due to our sheer enthusiasm and indomitable spirit to survive and succeed against all odds,” said Harcourts Chairman and Managing Director Ahamed Rheyas.
Harcourts in effect engineered a paradigm shift in the pharmaceutical scene of Sri Lanka of the 90’s and the new millennium. The country was in the suffocating grip of the western MNCs where the common man could never dream of obtaining access to modern medicines.
“I was a witness to the sufferings of poor patients in my father’s own clinic where the prevailing exorbitant prices of medicines often resulted in patients not receiving the correct medications.
Quality alternative brands could be sourced from countries other than the western MNC’s was an eye opener to the medical professionals as well as to the government authorities. These drugs even for common ailments could be imported at marginal prices than the prevailing rates. Millions and millions of dollars could thus be saved for the exchequer and the public. Harcourts was proud to have pioneered this paradigm shift in sourcing cost effective quality alternatives providing access to advanced medicines,” Rheyas said.
Thanks, mainly due to the overwhelming support from the medical professionals and implementation of many innovative marketing strategies, Harcourts was able to record a fast pace of growth in the pharmaceutical sector and become one of the largest companies in the pharmaceutical field within a short period. Harcourts became a dominant force in many sophisticated therapy groups like Cardiology, Neuro-psychiatry and Gastroenterology.
The entry of Harcourts into cosmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care products was an organic progression of the company’s core competence.
Many brands marketed by Harcourts like Biona, Naturee, Fair & Handsome, Gloria etc became house-hold names. The phenomenal growth of the advertising industry in Sri Lanka was partially whetted by the large investments from companies like Harcourts.
Manufacturing is the area where Harcourts will be concentrating in future. Initially it will be cosmetics, personal care products and life-style products. By mid 2014, Harcourts intends to start manufacturing cosmetics.
Harcourts is also one of the largest direct and indirect employers of human resources in the country. There are a large number of personnel employed in marketing, sales and distribution who keep in touch with customers even in the remotest parts of the country. In addition the chain of Harcourts Pharmacies numbering 30 currently, employ a large number of skilled and semi-skilled pharmacy staff island-wide.
Harcourts Pharmacies brought about a quality revolution in the concept of drug retailing in the country. These pharmacies set a trend in the lay-out, customer comfort and customer care with regard to the functioning of pharmacies. Harcourts Pharmacies also spearheaded many CSR activities through the numerous medical camps, health check-up clinics and epidemic control programs conducted by them periodically.
“Harcourts International Girls School is a non-profit venture where more than 600 girl students receive a high quality world standard education. For a former teacher in me, the school venture is closest to my heart,” Rheyas said.
“Harcourts has traversed through a quarter of a century of challenges. In this journey we have set up numerous milestones etched with our insignia of achievements. I am a firm believer of the fact that it is the people who make all the difference to the core of an organisation. I am fortunate to have received an abundance of emotional bonding from my people who were instrumental in taking Harcourts this far. I am confident that Harcourts will benchmark many more milestones before the dawn of our Golden Jubilee - with the blessings of all,” Rheyas added.
