Geel, September 29, 2006 – The Chemical Production plant of Janssen Pharmaceutica in Geel, which makes the active ingredients for the company’s medicines, granted a Partnership Award today to eight suppliers. Each year, Janssen Pharmaceutica buys more than 450 million euros worth of products and services on the Belgian market from several hundred firms. Janssen implements a very strict policy on quality, innovation and sustainability based on management systems for permanent improvement. Janssen Pharmaceutica imposes on all those suppliers the same high standards which it also employs. The company therefore attaches much importance to a long-term relationship with reliable suppliers.

Chemical Production in Geel uses the ‘Total Performance Rating’ to monitor and steer its suppliers. Scores are given for criteria such as quality, logistics, environment-friendliness, cost, continuous improvement, etc. A high score for all those criteria earns the supplier the title of partner. This year, eight suppliers received this accolade:

Janssen Pharmaceutica employs more than 4,700 people in Belgium at sites in Beerse, Geel and Olen. More than 800 people work at the site in Geel, where the active ingredients are made for more than 65% of all the medicines of Johnson & Johnson worldwide.