Jun 7 2010
"The first 2010 quarter export of the life sciences industry summed up to ca. $1.7 billion, an increase of about 14 percent compared to the same period last year. This increase is derived from a 15.4 percent increase in the export of medications, which has summed up to ca. $1.3 Billion; medical and surgical instrumentation had an increase of 7.5 percent, summing up to about $306 Million," said Mr. Avi Hefetz, the Chief Executive Officer of the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute. The information, published based on an analysis made by the institute financial unit, was collected in view of the coming ILSI-Biomed Israel 2010 Week, the key annual life-sciences event in Israel, that will be held between June the 14th and the 16th, 2010 in the David Intercontinental hotel in Tel-Aviv.
Geographical Analysis made to the life sciences export data of the first quarter of 2010, shows that ca. 68 percent of the total export, constituting $1.1 Billion, were sent to North America, a 4 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. The export to the European union, ca. $346 Million, had a 23 percent rise compared to the same period last year. The export of the life sciences sector accounted for ca. 21 percent share of the total export. Mr. Avi Hefetz, the CEO of the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute said that compared to other sectors, the life sciences sector is not susceptible to the European union crisis. The export to Central and South America, ca. 2 percent of the life sciences sector total export, summed up to ca. $32 Million, with a 21 percent rise compared to the same period last year. The export to the Asia, ca. $76 Million, with a 19 percent rise compared to the same period last year, constituted about 4.5 percent of the sector total export. The sector export to Africa summed up to ca. $3.8 Million, which is about 0.2 percent of the sector total export during the first quarter.
The life sciences industry 2009 total export summed up to $6 Billion, 8 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. This decrease resulted from a 7 percent reduction in the medication export, which was ca. $4.6 Billion in the previous year. The clinical equipment and instrumentation export had a reduction of ca. 13 percent, summing up to $1.4 Billion.
Geographic division of the sector 2009 export shows that 71 percent of the total export, constituting $4.3 Billion, were to North America. The export to the European Union summed up to ca. $1.1 Billion and constituted 19 percent of the export of the entire sector. The export to Central and South America, ca. 2 percent of the life sciences industry total export, summed up to ca. $98 Million, and the export to the Asia, ca. $289 Million, constituted about 5 percent of the sector total export.
Two hundred and sixty five life sciences companies exported in 2009 more than $100,000: 31 exporters exported more than $10 Million, 47 exporters exported between $2 and $10 Million and 187 small exporters exported between $100,000 and $2 Million.