Case Studies

Client: An MNC client who is a world leader in ophthalmic lenses along with ophthalmic optical equipment

Issue: Besides gathering knowledge of the research ecosystem in India (collaboration, grants, Government policies …), the client aimed to identify potential research partner(s) in the field of such avant-garde technology across research institutes, universities and commercial research organizations in the country.

Approach: Solidiance divided the project into two broad phases. The first phase involved extensive secondary research to scan through all the research institutes and universities across India in order to identify a shortlist of potential partners. Top ranked universities and institutes associated with material sciences were considered for the second phase which focused on site visits and primary interviews.

Execution: Solidiance supported this project with a team consisting of 2 Consultants and 1 Analyst lead by a Partner. Solidiance interviewed senior scientists and academics (Dean, Head of Department, Senior Professors,…) and carried out 56 interviews across 14 cities of India to gather detailed information to judge the competency and the willingness to partner with Client. Solidiance prepared 22 detailed potential partner profiles, including Solidiance’s recommendation and remarks on each profiled institute. Regular interaction with the client by means of presentation updates and feedback ensured that the project was steered in the desired direction throughout the course of the study.

Engagement ROI: Solidiance’s report is being used as the foundation for the client’s initiative to establish research partnership in India. Solidiance introduced the client to recommended research organizations and first research projects are currently being discussed.

Client: A global pharmaceutical company who is leader in this  specified product segment

Issue: Client has shown hesitation to enter to the target market for the specified product segment due to less informed market environment, legal practices in the specified industry as well as entry strategy that will be chosen to nurture its market position in Indonesia including who to partner with.

Approach: After conducting market competitive landscaping of specific pharmaceutical market in Indonesia, Solidiance mapped out industry competitive benchmark, presented key learning & best practices of global companies entering into this specified pharmaceutical market, before delivering a market strategy including an exhaustive partner search and profiling, Solidiance has had pre-discussion on business collaboration with some of the recommended partners.

Execution: Through extensive discussion and interview with industry experts, key players in industry, local manufacturers in pharmaceutical industry (~ 45 interviews) as well as analysis, Solidiance has delivered strategic recommendation to enter Indonesia market based on impact and cost efficiency. Solidiance has screened, assessed and selected 11 potential local partners in the end, with an order of priority based on key success factors presented by industry best practices, and their willingness on the proposed partnership mode.

Engagement ROI: Solidiance’s report has helped the client to perform a systematic analysis before entering in Indonesia market, and saved tremendous amount of time for the client facilitating the first phase of partnership negotiation.

Client: A leading global medical equipment manufacturer was looking to detail out short-term and long-term developments in the market and to develop a growth strategy factoring emerging opportunities and risks

Issue: Long a leading player in the Vietnam market, the client had been losing market share as the market structure had shifted as a result of changing decision-making and financing practices. Emerging new players had spotted these trends early and were able to capitalize on them to capture market share. The client and its distribution partners had thus far not adapted itself to the new market realities, unaware of the extent to which the market had shifted and had comfortable in its old ways. Furthermore, the client was losing margin on service contracts due to legacy relationships with its distributor while competition was capturing service margins due to alternative contractual arrangements with its distributors.

Approach: Solidiance placed a team composed of 4 Consultants, 1 Manager and 1 Principal on this project. The team conducted in-depth interviews across the value chain (Doctors, KOLs, Hospital Management, Distributors, Competitors, Government agencies) to gain insight into market trends. An in depth analysis of the competitive landscape provided insight as to how leading competitors were increasing sales, including a comprehensive overview of financing options and distribution networks.

Execution: Solidiance analyzed that hospitals were gaining increasing financial autonomy as public subsidies and international ODA were declining. This was leading to a change in the structure for financing high-value medical equipment.  Competition understood this early and utilized their more nimble distribution network to increase sales. The client had a large install base of equipment and relied on their previous relationships in the urban centers to drive sales while competition was expanding their customer base by conducting sales across a larger geographic area and customer base. Solidiance worked with the client to scenario out low, baseline, and high growth situations. Using these scenarios, Solidiance advised the client on a plan to regain market share, including how to re-organize its distribution network, expand the addressable market of potential customers,  recapture valuable service margins, and conduct more effective but cost-savings marketing campaigns.

Engagement ROI: Our client has been very satisfied with the content of the study, including the identification of new market trends and solutions for how to regain its leading market position.

Client: An MNC client willing to understand the market size, drivers, trends, demand, distribution structure and pricing of rigid and flexible endoscope systems across 3 ASEAN countries to seize future sales opportunities.

Issue: Our client was planning to launch new endoscopes in South East Asia and it was important for its commercial team to understand each market to adapt its commercial strategy, position its products and capture growth in each country. End user expectations, procurement process, distribution channels and price differences were key elements to study and analyze.

Approach: Solidiance team executed a detailed study of the endoscopy market. For all three countries, we estimated the market size of endoscopes, looking at the historical stock (installed systems) and flow (yearly sales). Our team also studied the procurement process in both private and public hospitals, to understand decision making process and role of key influencers. We interviewed a large sample of end-users (doctors) to understand their user’s experience, expectations, unmet needs and perception on different systems and brands. Solidiance also studied pricing structure in detail (distributor’s margins), competitor’s positioning and strategic moves. For the macro perspective, we also looked at the trends in healthcare that will impact endoscopy market in the coming years.

Execution: Solidiance’s healthcare practice head was advising 3 teams composed of a project manager and 2 local consultants or analysts in each country. The teams conducted secondary and primary research with all the stakeholders: regulatory body, Ministry of Health, endoscope distributors and competitors, doctors (a majority of GIs), hospital management, including procurement and admin staff in charge of devices. In each market we highlighted key differences between capital city and tier 2 cities, in terms of budget size, buying behavior and product expectations. Other aspects such as after sales have also been examined in detail. By visiting a large number of private and public hospitals of all sizes, we managed to get  solid market size estimation.

Engagement ROI: Our study gave our client all key information its commercial team needed to prepare a new product launch. Market size, procurement processes, distribution and price structures are key elements that have been delivered for all three markets, which made this study a very useful tool. We have carefully highlighted how our client should adapt its commercial approach by market, setting different expectations, opportunities and risks.

Client: A Western generic drug manufacturer operating globally, willing to change it sales strategy in Vietnam by switching from a simple local distribution agreement to a full market entry.

Issue: The client wanted to have a complete review of the pharmaceutical market in Vietnam, to understand the growth potential of relevant drugs in its portfolio of products, examine the differences between public and private healthcare systems, review the importation and distribution of drugs in Vietnam by a foreign entity, understand the regulations and chronic issues related to regulatory compliance. The ultimate goal of this project was to give our client the appropriate recommendations to enter the Vietnamese market and benefit from potential high growth to quadruple its sales within 5 years.  

Approach: Solidiance assisted the client by providing a 2-step approach: a comprehensive review on the Vietnam economic trends that would impact our client business, a market size and share of the pharmaceutical market, detailed explanations about price mechanisms in Vietnam, the drug importation system, as well as a detailed profile of the most relevant distributors. Our second step detailed the market entry strategy with set ups recommendations.

Execution: Solidiance placed a team composed of a senior consultant with a Vietnamese senior advisor in healthcare to support our client and provided fact-based market strategy recommendations. Our team liaised regularly with our client’s teams in Singapore and in Europe to provide weekly updates. Solidiance provided a detailed landscape of the pharmaceutical market, with growth opportunities, and explained the different distribution solutions. We also listed the possible issues that our client would face when entering the Vietnamese market.  

Engagement ROI: Our study gave the necessary information and tools to fully understand a complex system of importation, distribution, price mechanism and tender, in a country were regulatory compliance is a chronic issue, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. This study was useful for our client to understand the market potential in Vietnam, as well as the pitfalls to avoid and the potential pain areas he will necessarily face when setting up its operations in this country. The first project has been followed by a second project centered on local distribution.  

Client: A global medical devices company with a strong presence across Asia

Issue: The client needed to do a review of the renal care and provider clinics business environment and came up with an optimal market positioning and entry strategy in the dialysis services/provider business.

Approach: Solidiance placed a team of experienced senior consultants, managed by the Med-tech Practice Head to provide recommendations within 10 weeks; Extensive interviews/meetings were conducted on-the-ground with key stakeholders in the largest cities to understand the policies of major states & of the federal government, tender market & the processes followed, patient flow to different dialysis therapies & nephrologists' preferences and also the competitive landscape and activities. Solidiance detailed the addressable market, the priority states to go to and how best to differentiate to beat the competition and target market share to win over the next 4 years.

Execution: Recommendations were made, with actionable steps in the dialysis clinics/provider business in Australia. It included all business aspects such as regulatory clearances, suggested clinical agenda, nature of engagement with key stakeholders (nephrologists, renal nurses, health department and federal authorities), as well as differentiated competitive market positioning.

Engagement ROI: Our report and recommendations helped the client pitch for global board’s approval, seek real partnerships in the key states in Australia, fine-tune its offering to be able to meet the demands of the local market.  

Client: Large US-based medical devices manufacturer with growing Asia interests.

Issue: Sales of medical devices have grown significantly in Asia as compared to Europe and the US. In Indonesia, some hospitals and clinics have been installing high-end devices and replacing old technology with more advanced products. But due to the strong competitive nature of the industry, the sales process is usually long and tedious. Our client needed a definite marketing strategy to make clever judgments depending on the types of products and hospitals.

Approach: Solidiance offered a full fledged Indonesia market study to help our client build market share leadership in high growth segments and reduce the lead time it takes to close sales.

Execution: Solidiance assisted the client with a three phased approach. First, Solidiance conducted a thorough study to determine the installed base of medical devices (X-rays, CT scanners, MRIs, ultrasounds, nuclear medicine and patient monitoring systems) throughout all joint ventures and public hospitals in Indonesia. Details such as usage per day, age of devices, replacement cycle, brand feedback were obtained. Second, Solidiance performed a competitive study of other brands including marketing and sales activities, pricing and aftermarket servicing strength. Third, Solidiance also studied hospitals buying processes, profiled procurement department, decision -making and switching factors.

Engagement ROI: Today our client has been able to gain tangible sales in Indonesia level III hospitals thanks to our work, and has kept our approach as their internal template for market assessment in Asia Pacific.

Client: An Asian private equity firm with strong track record of successful healthcare facilities investments in Asia.

Issue: Client needed an independent and thorough analysis of the high-end hospitals market in China and Vietnam future potential as well as a screening of potential local partners to start venture.

Approach: The engagement was built in two phases to allow flexibility on the client side. First determine the market opportunities, then profile potential joint venture partners. The focus was on wealthy cities in China and Vietnam where cost of high-end healthcare is affordable by large pockets of wealthy local population.

Execution: The team sized the hospital market by type of care and practice area as well as modeled the future healthcare needs of segments of the population. This process was enabled via face to face interviews with hospitals management, provincial and city health authorities, medical tourism agents, high-end medical devices distributors, and competitors. Upon sizing the Chinese and Vietnamese market opportunities, the team zoomed on screening and evaluating potential joint venture partners. A weighted criteria list was developed together with the client to ensure the most appropriate partner would be recommended. Interviews were set up with government officials in China and Vietnam to assess potential synergies and mindset fit with a few pre-selected state owned companies.

Engagement ROI: Solidiance provided in less than eight weeks the required insights the client needed to make its investment decision and to assess partnership requirements. Client is currently in advanced discussion to secure MOU in Vietnam.

Client: A large US-based medical devices manufacturer with growing Asia interests.

Issue: Sales of medical devices have grown significantly in Asia as compared to Europe and the US. In China, some hospitals and clinics have been installing high-end devices and replacing old technology with more advanced products. But due to the strong competitive nature of the industry, the sales process is usually long and tedious. Our client needed a definite marketing strategy to make clever judgments depending on the types of products and hospitals.

Approach: Solidiance offered a full fledged China market study to help our client build market share leadership in high growth segments and reduce the lead time it takes to close sales.

Execution: Solidiance assisted the client with a three phased approach. First, Solidiance conducted a thorough study to determine the installed base of medical devices (X-rays, CT scanners, MRIs, ultrasounds, nuclear medicine and patient monitoring systems) throughout all joint ventures and public hospitals in China. Details such as usage per day, age of devices, replacement cycle, brand feedback were obtained. Second, Solidiance performed a competitive study of other brands including marketing and sales activities, pricing and aftermarket servicing strength. Third, Solidiance also studied hospitals buying processes, profiled procurement department, decision -making and switching factors.

Engagement ROI: Today our client has been able to gain tangible sales in China level III hospitals thanks to our work, and has kept our approach as their internal template for market assessment in Asia Pacific.