Press
Releases
GfK Group integrates
its HealthCare business in the U.S.
• Acquisition of all the shares in US
pharmaceutical research specialist,
• GfK V2 US companies combined under the name GfK U.S. HealthCare
Companies
Nuremberg, 3 June 2005 – Since 1 June 2005, GfK V2 has been
a fully-fledged member of the
GfK Group. With
the companies acquired following the acquisition of NOP World, namely
GfK Market Measures, GfK Strategic Marketing Corporation and GfK V2, GfK
is organizing its US HealthCare activities under the name GfK U.S. HealthCare
Companies.
For almost two years, the GfK Group has held a 51 per cent stake in the
company, which ranks among the leading pharmaceutical market research
organizations in the USA. By acquiring the remaining 49 per cent of the
company that has be renamed to GfK V2 now, GfK has consolidated its position
in the USA, which is the most important national market for information
services for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical diagnostics industries.
The company was established in 1994 by Dr. Richard B. Vanderveer under
the name “V2” and offers research services as well as strategic
consulting for the pharmaceutical and biotech markets and for the medical
diagnostics industry. GfK V2’s client portfolio includes many of
the major global healthcare companies such as Pfizer, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis,
Amgen and GlaxoSmithKline. Services provided include qualitative and quantitative
ad hoc research, healthcare market analysis, consulting and support services
for strategic sales and marketing.
In addition to surveying the US market, V2 GfK also conducts international
studies in Europe, Central and Latin America and Japan from its base in
Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. Vanderveer, previously a GfK V2 shareholder,
who remains CEO, says of GfK’s acquisition of the remaining shares:
“In the past few years, GfK V2 has become extremely successful and
has further consolidated its position as one of the leading custom healthcare
research companies in the US, in part because of its involvement with
GfK. Being a member of the GfK network has given us increased opportunity
of raising our profile with our clients as a provider of comprehensive
consulting services at an international level.”
Wilhelm R. Wessels, member of the GfK Management Board with responsibility
for GfK HealthCare, explains: “For GfK, the complete acquisition
of GfK V2 constitutes an important step on the way to achieving a leading
position for market research in global healthcare markets. Acquiring GfK
V2 has enabled us to speed up the integration of all US pharmaceutical
research activities and to continue developing a uniform presence in the
world’s most significant pharma market.”
GfK U.S. HealthCare Companies
With the acquisition of the 51 per cent majority in GfK V2, the GfK Group
took the decisive step in summer 2003 towards establishing its fifth business
division, HealthCare.
On 1 June GfK officially acquired NOP World. Two of NOP World’s
healthcare brands are now marketed under the names GfK Market Measures
and GfK Strategic Marketing Corporation and belong to the HealthCare division
with immediate effect.
With the three US companies, GfK V2, GfK Market Measures and GfK Strategic
Marketing Corporation, which are all recognized in the field of pharmaceutical
and healthcare research, GfK has become the biggest global provider of
custom market research services to the pharmaceutical, biotech and healthcare
industries. The companies will in the future be grouped together under
the name GfK U.S. HealthCare Companies. Richard B. Vanderveer will be
the Chief Executive Officer of the newly built company group, Bart Weiner
will be President and Chief Operating Officer and Dan Fitzgerald will
be Executive Vice President.
The market for custom marketing research in the pharmaceutical and healthcare
sectors comprises an estimated global market volume of EUR 900 million.
Of this, over 60 per cent originates from the pharma and healthcare industries
in the USA.
The GfK Group
The GfK Group, the No. 5 market research organization worldwide, achieved
sales of EUR 672 million for financial year 2005 in its five business
divisions, Custom Research, Retail and Technology, Consumer Tracking,
Media and HealthCare. In addition to 13 German subsidiaries, the company
has over 130 subsidiaries and affiliates located in 61 countries. Of a
current total of more than 7,000 employees, approx. 1,500 are based in
Germany. For further information, visit our website:
www.gfk.com.
Responsible under press legislation:
GfK AG, Public Affairs and Communications
Dr. Ulrike Schöneberg
Nordwestring 101
D-90319 Nuremberg
Tel. +49 911 395-2645
Fax +49 911 395-4041
public.affairs@gfk.de
Jessica Makovsky, Director of Communications, GfK V2
USA
(215) 283-3200 x372
Cell (267) 304-3780
jmakovsky@gfkushc.com
Brief description of GfK’s activities
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