LGC Standards continues its growth in emerging markets with first Russian office

LGC Standards has opened its first office in St Petersburg, Russia. This new office, coming only six months after a presence in China was established, demonstrates that LGC Standards continues to grow to support laboratory quality worldwide.

Russia is widely recognised as a 'pharmerging' market, with a predicted growth rate in the pharmaceutical sector of 17% per annum to 2013 (Espicom - The Pharmaceutical Market: Russia, 2009.) The initial focus for the Russian team will be this sector, launching the LGC Standards range of 2400 reference standards for pharmaceutical impurities to support quality control.

LGC Standards provides a range of products and services for measurement and laboratory control encompassing reference material distribution and proficiency testing, together with the production of pharmaceutical impurities and custom synthesis. For the first time the company will be able to support Russian laboratories directly by offering logistical and technical advice in their local language.

The new office will be managed by Svetlana Buchaka, who has a PhD in Chemistry from St Petersburg State University and experience in both the industrial and academic sectors. Dr Buchaka will be attending the conference 'Modern methods of analysis of pharmaceutical products' in Moscow, 2-4 December 2009 to meet with potential customers.

Dr Matthias Brommer, Director, LGC Standards said: "While Russia has its own metrological system for chemistry (GOST standards), there is increasing interest in the ISO metrological system widely used in the European Union, particularly for those industries seeking export opportunities into this market. With our new office in Russia, LGC Standards will be well placed to support these developments."

Dr Svetlana Buchaka, Head of Representative Office in St-Petersburg, said "We have Russian-speaking experts in our Russian and Polish offices who have a good understanding of both the GOST and ISO systems, and can advise Russian laboratories on the correct use of laboratory quality products and services under both systems."

Source: LGC Standards