Biggest laboratory of Rio opens own unit in SP
Valor Econômico
The Sergio Franco Medicina Diagnóstica laboratory, market leader in clinical analysis of Rio de Janeiro, is landing in the market of the city of São Paulo with a unit of its own. According to Fábio Xavier, CFO of the company that last year sold nearly R$ 350 million (US$ 194.4 million), the 800 square meter unit, located at Avenida Brasil, in the neighborhood of Jardins, should be opened in July or August. Sergio Franco is controlled by entrepreneur Édson Godoy Bueno, who is also the controller of Amil, leader in the health insurance market in the country.
The company already has two operations in São Paulo, but located inside hospitals though, one in 9 de Julho Hospital and another one in the Sabará Hospital, specialized in children. Xavier said a work group was created together with the erection of the first unit to plan the expansion in the richest State of the country. The work, according to the Executive, is in stage of conclusion.
The Sergio Franco laboratory currently operates in Rio de Janeiro - capital city, metropolitan region and Macaé, in the North of the State - and in Paraná (Curitiba), besides the two units inside hospitals in São Paulo. Altogether there are 100 units, 92 of which are in Rio, according to Xavier's information. In São Paulo, the company is also building a center to carry out exams in Tamboré to cater to the unity of Jardins and the future expansions.
Xavier estimates the Sergio Franco laboratory caters to nearly 30% of the supplementary health market (health insurance plans) of Rio de Janeiro. When the evaluation goes global, including the Brazilian Health Care System (SUS), such participation drops to something between 2% and 3%, in the Executive's assessment. He said the company is evaluating working for the SUS, considering that the main obstacle, the lack of payment guarantee, is being overcome with the increase of the responsibility on the part of the Governments in general.