WHO's top 10 suppliers in 2020

Last month, Devex reported on the United Nations’ spending in 2020 and found that the World Health Organization — which was pushed into the spotlight last year — saw the largest increase in procurement spending among U.N. agencies. Based on the 2020 annual statistics report, WHO’s spending increased by 92.3% compared to 2019 — with $1.7 billion in total spending. This was largely driven by pandemic response-related procurement amounting to $750 million, or 43.7% of WHO’s total procurement in 2020. Over half of that funding went to medical equipment and 29% went to laboratory and testing equipment, of which $42 million went to the purchase of rapid test kits. In 2020, the agency spent $1.4 billion on major procurement contracts, each worth $30,000 or more. It sourced 53.4% of its total procurement spending from low- and middle-income countries, and countries with economies in transition. China accounts for much of the list with $247.1 million, and other big supplier countries include Denmark, Switzerland, the United States, and the Netherlands, which collectively received $439.8 million. The top 10 suppliers accounted for 24% of the total value of WHO’s major contracts, mostly in the health and medical fields, while the others are construction and transportation companies. Only two of the top 10 suppliers from 2019 were also top suppliers in 2020 — Implenia, a construction company, and IMRES B.V., a supplier of medical equipment. The top three suppliers were Chinese pharmaceutical and health companies — newer partners for WHO — who won $206.7 million, or 61% of the $338.2 million awarded to the top 10. Swiss manufacturers and construction companies followed with a total of $56 million. As for the nature of the contracts, the top 10 suppliers mainly delivered medical equipment worth $185 million; laboratory and testing equipment amounting to $89 million; and transportation, storage, and mail services for $30 million. 1. China Meheco Headquarters: Beijing, China Total procurement value in 2020: $130.7 million A state-owned pharmaceutical company, China Meheco, was awarded $123.8 million for medical equipment and $6.9 million for management and administrative services. The company also supplied medical equipment for COVID-19 to other multilateral organizations such as the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. It was also eighth on the list of U.N.’s overall top suppliers, with $131 million procured solely by WHO. 2. China National Pharmaceutical Foreign Trade Corporation Headquarters: Beijing, China Total procurement value in 2020: $44.4 million A subsidiary of the state-owned enterprise, Sinopharm, the China National Pharmaceutical Foreign Trade Corporation focuses on industrial medical investment and the trade of pharmaceutical products. It was awarded $41.8 million for medical equipment and $2.6 million for laboratory and testing equipment. 3. BGI Headquarters: New Territories, Hong Kong Total procurement value in 2020: $31.6 million With offices in China, Hong Kong, Denmark, and the U.S., BGI provides genomic sequencing services in over 66 countries. It won contracts under two categories — $31.6 million for laboratory and testing equipment and $45,100 for pharmaceuticals, contraceptives, and vaccines. 4. PF Line Proxy Supplier Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Total procurement value in 2020: $29.8 million PF Line Proxy Supplier is a WHO proxy company, whose official company name cannot be disclosed. It won $29.8 million worth of contracts in transportation, storage, and mail services, specifically for shipping and freight transport. 5. Implenia Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland Total procurement value in 2020: $26 million Since 2017, the construction company has been awarded a total of $124.8 million by WHO, with $119.3 million for building and maintenance services — of which $26 million was won in 2020 — while the remaining $5.5 million has been for engineering and research services. Implenia topped the list of WHO’s suppliers from 2018 to 2019. 6. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Life Technologies Corporation) Headquarters: Massachusetts, U.S. Total procurement value in 2020: $24.4 million Life Technologies Corporation was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. in 2014 and supplies laboratory essentials, equipment, software, and services. The $24.4 million it won in 2020 is a major jump from the meager $33,365 it received — both for laboratory and testing equipment. 7. AppliedTech Instruments Ltd. Headquarters: Toronto, Canada Total procurement value in 2020: $15.4 million In 2020, AppliedTech was awarded $15.4 million — its biggest WHO contract to date. The laboratory equipment manufacturer was also awarded small contracts for transportation services, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, industrial manufacturing services, and security and safety equipment worth $279,188 by other U.N. agencies such as FAO, UNDP, and UNOPS. 8. SD BIOSENSOR Headquarters: Gyeonggi-do, South Korea Total procurement value in 2020: $14.7 million The diagnostic company produces antigen and antibody detection kits for SARS, MERS, malaria, Ebola, and now, COVID-19. SD BIOSENSOR has been a partner of the U.N. since 2015 — providing medical equipment, along with laboratory and testing equipment worth $35 million for six contracts under UNDP, UNICEF, and WHO. In 2020, it won $14.7 million from WHO for laboratory and testing equipment as it produces one of the COVID-19 emergency antigen rapid diagnostic tests approved by WHO. 9. Austropharma Forte GMBH Headquarters: Vienna, Austria Total procurement value in 2020: $11 million WHO awarded $11 million to Austropharma, a high-tech device and equipment manufacturer, for the production of medical equipment under the COVID-19 response contract. 10. IMRES B.V Headquarters: Lelystad, Netherlands Total procurement value in 2020: $10.1 million The Dutch health supplier operating within the Imperial Logistics Group has been a top WHO supplier since 2018. In 2020, IMRES’ biggest contracts were for medical equipment — totaling $8.1 million — followed by pharmaceuticals, contraceptives, and vaccines at $1.7 million, and laboratory and testing equipment at $169,000. The rest of the contracts were for transportation, storage, mail services, as well as management and admin services. Since 2015, it has also partnered with other U.N. agencies such as IOM, PAHO, UNDP, and UNRWA. Try out Devex Pro Funding today with a free 5-day trial, and explore funding opportunities from over 850+ sources in addition to our analysis and news content.