As the market leader in Germany and main pharmaceutical distributor in Europe, we reflect on a successful and eventful history with roots in Germany and various European countries that date back more than a hundred years.
2011
Announcement of BENU, the new retail brand in several European countries, starting in the Netherlands (December).
Italy: Market position in Northern Italy strengthened with acquisition of Farcopa Distribuzione S.r.l. in the first quarter and Farmaceutici Signorini S.r.l. in the second quarter.
Netherlands: Pharmacy chain Lloyds Nederland BV successfully integrated in the first quarter.
Ratings: In July rating agency Standard & Poor’s upgraded the company’s rating from B+ to BB- with continuing positive outlook. In August, the rating agency Moody’s raised the outlook for PHOENIX from “stable” to “positive”. In October, the rating agency Fitch issued a rating for PHOENIX of “BB” with a “stable” outlook.
2010
Sale of participations in KL Holding, ZAO Rosta and Andreae-Noris Zahn AG.
Successful refinancing (August). Access to the capital market for the first time, following the issue of a bond with a volume of over EUR 500 million.
Macedonia: New name, new logo: Start of operations under the PHOENIX name (July).
Netherlands: Acquisition of the remaining 50% in Pack4U, as a result whereof Pack4U becomes a fully owned company of Brocacef (April). 45 pharmacies of Escura Apotheek and the headquarter of Escura Nederland receive the so-called HKZ certificate, a certificate based on ISO 9001 (October). PHOENIX moves up to number 2 in the Dutch pharmacy market as a result of the merger of the local business activities in the Netherlands with Celesio AG (November).
Switzerland (retailing): Group Capitole signs its first 14 franchising contracts (January).
United Kingdom: PHOENIX selected by Pfizer as its sole distributor to the non-dispensing market (May).
2009
In the course of the refinancing measures, the company becomes PHOENIX Pharmahandel GmbH & Co KG (June).
United Kingdom: Appointment by Lilly UK of PHOENIX as one of two partners in a DtP distribution arrangement (July).
Bosnia and Herzegovina: New name, new logo: Start of operations under the PHOENIX name (June).
Serbia: New name, new logo: Start of operations under the PHOENIX name (February).
2008
Bulgaria: Libra enters hospital and state procurement market (April-May): this step secures the leading position of Libra in combined market share in Bulgaria in 2009 and 2010. The hospital market team of Libra is the fastest-growing turnover and market share in Bulgaria – from 4,4% at the end of 2007 to 19,1% in 2010.
France: Takeover of the French wholesale activities of CERP Lorraine, which leads to a doubling of our market share in France.
Italy: Farmaceutica Bolognese (Emilia Romagna) merged in Comifar Distribuzione, after a first acquisition of 40% in 2005.
Netherlands: foundation of Medithuis (development and implementation of care concepts) (June).
Switzerland: Certification of the logistical processes forms basis for continuous quality improvement.
Switzerland (retailing): The participation in Group Capitole is brought into the Swiss Oclanis Holding AG.
TAMRO: retail expansion continues in Norway, the Baltic countries, and Poland.
United Kingdom: Rowlands acquires its 500th pharmacy (January). Acquisition of Munro – significantly larger facilities in Scotland and existing presence in Northern Ireland with depot in Belfast (April).
2007
Austria: Company's centenary celebrations.
Croatia: Acquisition of Unipharm d.o.o. and Jadran-Pharma d.o.o., which leads to market leadership in Croatia.
Czech Republic: 2007-2008: PHOENIX acquires EUROPHARM, a.s., a company operating about 80 retail pharmacies. During this period PHOENIX buys nearly 90% of shares and starts a new project of chain consolidation under the pharmacy name „Pharmaland“.
Germany: The Freiburg distribution centre is opened on 20/08/2007.
Italy: Acquisition of the remaining shares in the wholesaler Farmaceutica Bolognese.
Switzerland: Acquisition of the majority share in Amedis-Holding AG, which leads to an indirect increase in our shareholding in Amedis-UE AG.
United Kingdom: Completion of HQ extension providing 35% more office space (February). Establishment of dedicated hospital division to grow market share. Acquisition of predominantly southern based membership organisation, Nucare by Numark, with 550 new members from the independent sector (November). Acqusition of Practice Services (UK) Ltd (PSUK) – leading membership group and unique route to dispensing doctor market.
2006
Group-wide turnover exceeds EUR 20 billion for the first time.
Acquisition of the wholesaler Viafarma, shares in the Czech company Europharm, and the majority share in the wholesaler Farmaceutica Bolognese (Italy).
Netherlands: introduction of Escura Apotheek, Brocacef's retail brand (February). Acquisition of ZALV (ZiekenhuisApotheek en Laboratorium Venray) by Brocacef Holding. ZALV delivers pharmaceutical care to healthcare institutions (June).
Switzerland (retailing): Group Capitole fully owns 50 pharmacies (May).
TAMRO: Tamro MedLab is sold to the private equity investor CapMan on 1 June.
United Kingdom: Rowlands acquires its 400th pharmacy (March).
2005
PHOENIX group donates EUR 150,000 for victims of the tsunami in Asia.
The number of employees across the group exceeds 20,000 for the first time.
Reimund Pohl succeeds Dr. Bernd Scheifele at the head of the PHOENIX group.
Bulgaria: Acquisition of the Bulgarian pharmaceutical wholesaler Libra AG and its subsidiaries in Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro.
Czech Republic: Merger with local wholesaler Purus. At the time Purus hold 7-8% of market share, PHOENIX successfully takes over major part of Purus turnover and integrates staff and stock facilities.
Italy: Comifar sole shareholder of A&C Distribuzione.
United Kingdom: Acquisition of East Anglian Pharmaceuticals. Formation of Rx Systems Ltd – UK systems house and provider of PMR and EPOS systems to UK pharmacies (March). Acquisition of East Anglian Pharmaceuticals in Norwich with its established presence in the hospital sector (August). Acquisition of Numark, market leading membership organisation for independent pharmacy (October).
2004
Croatia: takeover of Medifarm Velebit d.d. and Farmacija d.d. As a part of the merger, the two companies acquired , Farmacija and Medifarm-Velebit, are renamed into PHOENIX Farmacija on 1 November 2004. As a result of those acquisitions, PHOENIX holds a market share of around 25 per cent.
Hungary: 2004 and 2005, merger of Westpharma Rt. and Bellis Rt. into PHOENIX Rt.
Slovakia: Approval of acquisition of PHOENIX company by anti-trust office (May).
Switzerland (retailing): Group Capitole enters the Swiss German retail market by the acquisition of Pharmafit AG (group of pharmacies belonging to Amedis UE) (September).
TAMRO: PHOENIX receives title to all shares of Tamro Corporation (May). 100% shareholding in Tamro acquired: largest acquisition in the history of PHOENIX successfully completed; delisting from the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
2003
Croatia: PHOENIX enters the Croatian market. In December, PHOENIX acquires 100 per cent of the shares in Farmacija d.d. in a public tender process. Farmacija is a long-established Croatian company and number 2 in the market. The contract for the acquisition of Medifarm Velebit, the fourth largest pharmaceutical wholesaler, is also signed at the end of December 2003.
Hungary: Acquisition of Bellis Rt.
Netherlands: Brocacef subsidiary Magnafarma (producer of generics) sold to ratiopharm.
Slovakia: Purchase of the market leader Fides.
TAMRO: Acquisition of Apoteket AB’s shares by PHOENIX triggers a redemption process leading to a full takeover by PHOENIX.
United Kingdom: Rowlands acquires its 300th pharmacy (September).
2002
PHOENIX Pharmahandel AG & Co KG merges with Ferd. Schulze GmbH Co.
The number of employees across the group exceeds 15,000 for the first time.
Group-wide turnover exceeds EUR 15 billion for the first time.
Turnover in Germany exceeds EUR 5 billion for the first time.
2001
Austria: HESTAG becomes PHOENIX.
Germany: DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 certification (June).
Italy: Joint venture with the Italian company Adivar: market leadership achieved in Italy.
Switzerland: Takeover of Uhlmann-Eyraud S.A., based in western Switzerland.
TAMRO: Full consolidation of the Tamro Group. Tamro’s subsidiary in liberalised Norway merges with the leading pharmacy chain Apokjeden, and Tamro subscribes to shares in the new Apokjeden Group. Tamro becomes an owner of pharmacies. Tamro Group also acquires pharmacies in Latvia and Estonia.
2000
The number of employees across the group exceeds 10,000 for the first time.
Czech Republic: PHOENIX acquires a wholesaling part of Medicamenta in Vysoké Mýto, Eastern Bohemia.
Italy: Joint venture with Adivar, which operates in the centre and south of Italy. A&C-Adivar Comifar S.p.A. is the name, and controls Grossfarma Distribuzione in Sicily.
Netherlands: Takeover of Brocacef Holding NV.
Switzerland: Entry into the Swiss market. The founding of the new Amedis AG, a joint venture between the original Amedis company (new: Amedis Holding AG) and PHOENIX, underscores the latter's ambitions to take on shared responsibility in the distribution market for long-term success.
Switzerland (retailing): Market liberalization: end of the fixed margins and prices (January).
New remuneration model for the pharmacies implemented and based on the service delivery not on products.
TAMRO: The 33.7% stake in Tamro Group, Finland, owned by Danish investors, is acquired in April by PHOENIX Pharmahandel AG & Co KG.
United Kingdom: Rowlands acquires its 200th pharmacy (May).
1999
Hungary: Acquisition of Westpharma Rt.
Italy: Between ‘97 and ‘99 Comifar acquires CIM of Perugia, SAM of Treviso, La Commerciale Farmaceutici of Roma, Giovine Farmaceutici of Torino. All these companies are gradually merged into Comifar Distribuzione. In 1999 Comifar takes the control of Spem of Segrate, franchising model company.
1998
Germany: Opening of the newly constructed Leipzig distribution centre.
United Kingdom: Entry into the United Kingdom market: 11 distribution centres, a wholesale network with almost nationwide coverage. Acquisition by the PHOENIX group of regional wholesalers L. Rowland & Co. and Philip Harris Medical to establish a PHOENIX presence in the UK, with the aim of establishing a third significant player in the pharmaceutical distribution industry, alongside AAH/Lloyds and Unichem/Moss. The Rowlands estate comprises approximately 70 pharmacies (November).
1997
Restructuring processes in Poland and Hungary.
Austria: 100% takeover of the Austrian company Hestag.
France: Schulze Pharma France is renamed PHOENIX Pharma.
1996
Group-wide turnover exceeds EUR 10 billion for the first time.
Acquisitions in Italy, Czech Republic and Hungary.
New branches established in Poland and France.
Germany: Restructuring completed, ADG and transmed combine their goods management and logistics activities. Internet portal "PHOENIX International Network (PIN)" goes online.
Germany/Austria/Switzerland: Pharmaceutical Science Award presented for the first time.
1995
Formation of Holding company PHOENIX International Beteiligungs GmbH.
Germany: Uniform market entry under the name PHOENIX.
Hungary: Majority shareholding in the Hungarian pharma wholesaling company Parma Rt.
Italy: Majority acquired in the Northern Italian pharmaceutical wholesaler Comifar S.p.A.
Netherlands: Acquisition of a 60-per cent shareholding in the second-largest Dutch pharmaceutical wholesaler ACF Holding NV, based in Marsen near Amsterdam.
1994
Germany: PHOENIX Pharmahandel Aktiengesellschaft & Co founded from the German regional wholesalers F. Reichelt AG (Hamburg), Otto Stumpf GmbH (Berlin), Ferd. Schulze GmbH (Mannheim), Otto Stumpf AG (Nuremberg), and Hageda AG (Cologne). The new company has been the market leader in its home market from day one.