Fresh from its recent acquisition of Roche Vitamins & Fine Chemicals Division -- now DSM Nutritional Products -- last year, vitamin and fine chemical supplier DSM is now working on a renewed strategy for 2005, with the life science products industry providing one of the brightest prospects for the company.

Buoyed by the realization that over 50% of the company's total turnover of approximately eight billion euros will soon be brought in by DSM Nutritional Products and its other life science business groups, DSM is now increasing its focus on this cluster as it targets an even bigger share of the market.

With over 6,000 employees worldwide and a turnover of approximately 2 billion euros ($2.7 billion), DSM Nutritional products is responsible for 25% of the total turnover of the company. It has also enabled DSM to become one of the world's leading suppliers of vitamins, biochemicals, carotenoids and other fine chemicals to the food, feed, health and cosmetics industries.

Roland Schlagenhauf, area manager for Asia Pacific of DSM Nutritional Products, said this new business positioning within the DSM group is seen to offer more attractive opportunities for the company and its customers both in the Philippines and throughout Asia Pacific.

"Looking at where the company stands today, we feel that the transformation of DSM from a predominantly chemical commodity producer into a multi-specialty chemicals group, as communicated in its strategy 'Vision 2005: Focus & Value,' is now on track. Today, our objective is to achieve global leadership positions in activities that offer a relatively higher added value, strong growth and stable profits," said Schlagenhauf.

DSM is currently a leading supplier of life science products, performance materials, industrial chemicals, and nutritional products.

In spite of its substantial presence in the world, DSM remains at the background of the brands that millions of consumers worldwide use every day -- from food, medications, to cars and sports shoes -- but it “continuously strives hard to push the frontiers of science in order to help create a better quality of life for everyone,” the company reminds.

In the Philippines, DSM's market innovation and global leadership positioning is reinforced further through its business group, DSM Nutritional Products.

Products successfully launched by DSM Nutritional Products in the Philippines last year include Teavigo, a pure and concentrated green tea extract; Stay-C50, a stabilized form of Vitamin C for skin care; and Rosigold WSP, a water-soluble vitamin mix for poultry.

This year, the company has also made a number of product launches, including those of Lafti, Radiance CR, Ronozyme AX, and Vevovitall.

In the end, the acquisition of the activities of DSM Nutritional Products has put the company in position to respond to major social trends, such as the growing interest in health and wellness, an aging population, the prevention of diseases and an increasing environmental awareness.