MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 18: E Merck (India) Ltd, a well-known pharma company, has posted a lower profit after tax at Rs 18.13 crore during the year ended December 31, 1999, as against a net profit of Rs 27 crore posted in the previous year. The fall in the profit was mainly due to higher outflow of funds towards voluntary retirement scheme payments which was at Rs 11.4 crore as against Rs 2.39 crore in the previous year. Further, the company made higher depreciation charges to the tune of Rs. 8.29 crore as against Rs. 6.91 crore in the previous year. Total sales went up by 7.3 per cent to Rs. 277.96 crore during the year as compared to Rs. 259.12 crore in the previous year. Other income also improved from Rs. 6.1 crore to Rs. 6.5 crore. While the company has a strong presence in the vitamin segment, efforts are being made in the last two years to consolidate the non-vitamin therapeutic areas such as cardiology, cardio-protective nutrients, topical anti-inflammatory and dermatological. During the year, it introduced emadine and amedine at for controlling hyper tension, maxepa and cadvion for vascular metabolic function. However, the turnover of the pharma division was lower than that projected by the company. The non-pharma division like reagents, diagnostics, bulk drugs and pigments have performed well following introduction of several new products.
