Boehringer Ingelheim sees worldwide net sales rise by 7 percent

German pharma giant Boehringer Ingelheim, whose North American headquarters is in Ridgefield, generated net sales of around $16.95 billion in fiscal year 2016, representing an increase of 7.3 percent in currency-adjusted terms. Operating income improved by 27 percent to around $3.1 billion, resulting in a return on net sales of 18.1 percent.

Boehringer employed an average of nearly 45,700 people around the world last year, while its acquisition of Sanofi”™s animal health business, Merial, as part of a business swap increased the workforce to some 50,000. The company eliminated 180 positions in Ridgefield in 2016.

Overall, net sales of prescription medicines ”“ Boehringer Ingelheim”™s largest business ”“ increased by 7.4 percent in currency-adjusted terms to around $12.8 billion. With net sales of just under $3.2 billion, the respiratory medication Spiriva remained its best-selling medicine.

Boehringer also generated net sales of $654 million in biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing, a 6.4 percent increase. The consumer health care business contributed to the company”™s net sales for the last time in 2016, as it became part of Sanofi on Jan. 1, 2017. Boehringer generated net sales of around $1.71 billion in that area last year, accounting for almost 10 percent of total net sales.