PRESS RELEASE
In the first half of 2021, Famed Żywiec’s net sales revenues exceeded PLN 32 million. This level was achieved despite the absence of projects directly related to the coronavirus pandemic, which dominated the company’s portfolio in the previous months. This result is similar to that achieved in the corresponding period of 2020, the high point of the first wave of Covid-19. The achieved revenue was 3% higher than the company’s adopted budget.
Special orders related to the pandemic ended at the end of 2020, but Famed Żywiec still achieved good business results. In line with Famed’s expectations, the first half of the year showed a clear shift in sales away from hospital beds towards operating theatre equipment. The number of operating tables sold increased by one third compared to the same period in 2020. Sales of operating table equipment increased even more, by more than 50 percent. Growth was also recorded in products intended for gynecological wards.
– The expected scenario of hospitals returning to standard retrofitting of their departments after the pandemic period is coming true. Not all medical facilities were able to equip themselves during the Covid-19, resulting in the replenishment of medical equipment this year. Also, the still-present spectre of another wave of the coronavirus is urging hospitals to make up for shortages or replace equipment with better equipment that guarantees better care for patients,» says Marek Suczyk, vice president of Famed Żywiec.
The Management Board of the company assesses the achieved results well. The guarantee of stable development is given by the wide geographical range of the company’s international expansion.
– Like other industries, the medical equipment manufacturing sector was also affected by the crisis resulting from the disruption in its environment caused by COVID-19. Despite many difficulties, we have managed quite well in this situation, which was no doubt positively influenced by our broad product portfolio and the fact that we export our products to over 100 countries. We positively evaluate the achieved results, and the fact that is worth emphasizing is the further improvement of the company’s profitability. Both at the level of EBITDA and net profitability of sales, we exceeded not only the budget assumptions for the first half of 2021, but also the record results for such a period achieved in 2020,» comments Paweł Tomala, Vice-President and CFO of Famed Żywiec.
Famed Żywiec recorded a significant increase in sales in Latin American countries.
– We started the previous year with large shipments to China, then we recorded the greatest demand in Europe. Currently, we are noticing significant sales growth in Latin American countries. Sales to LATAM countries is a demanding challenge due to logistical aspects, among others. The equipment is delivered by sea and each delivery takes on average several weeks. Production also requires a similar amount of time. At the same time, most ordering parties require the finished product to be delivered to customers within 4 to 6 weeks. This means that we have less chance of getting started. That is why we are very pleased with further successful contracts concluded in Bolivia, Chile or Colombia,» comments Marek Suczyk.
In spring 2020, the company from Żywiec recorded a threefold increase in the number of inquiries from Polish hospitals compared to the period before the coronavirus pandemic. Their subject was mainly equipment for intensive care units (Famed LE-13, Famed Nano and Famed Nexo beds). Similar requests for proposals and orders also came from many other countries, including China, Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia, Croatia, Macedonia, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Authority – changing depending on the occurrence of pandemic outbreaks in other regions of the world. One of the challenges faced by Famed Żywiec was the organization of efficient international transport, which was made more difficult by the introduced restrictions at national borders and a sharp increase in logistics costs, especially by air.
– Thanks to fast deliveries throughout the pandemic, Famed consolidated its market position of a reliable and stable partner. Thanks to the concentration of production in Żywiec and our independence from external supplies, we were able to comprehensively and without unnecessary delay support our clients in crisis situations such as the next waves of Covid-19. The fact of maintaining prices at an unchanged level and meeting delivery deadlines despite all the problems we experienced in the previous year significantly strengthened our brand, which pays off to this day,» concludes Marek Suczyk,, vice-president of Famed Żywiec.