PGF Urtica opens Poland’s largest centre for drugs-to-hospitals distribution
On August 3rd 2016, PGF Urtica Sp. z o.o., a subsidiary of Pelion S.A., the owner of DOZ Apteki Dbam o Zdrowie pharmacies and Natura beauty stores, opened a new warehouse of hospital drugs. Worth nearly PLN 30m, it is the largest wholesale warehouse of this type in Poland, from where drugs will be distributed to hospital pharmacies, to reach about a third of all in-patients.
The facility with an area of 5,000 m2, located in the Łódź Special Economic Zone, has a storage capacity of 5,500 high bay pallet spaces and about 4,000 shelf spaces. To comply with the most exacting standards and safety requirements, it is equipped with separate, dedicated warehouses for storing psychotropic substances, drug precursors and cytostatic drugs.
The new centre will provide 250 jobs.
“In our day-to-day operations, we make every effort to remain a reliable partner for hospitals, patients and pharmecutical manufacturers. We take utmost care to ensure the highest quality of products and services. Every month, we deliver more than 40,000 orders to some 4,000 customers across Poland. The new warehouse will enhance our operational capabilities, helping us ensure that patients have even better access to safe and innovative pharmacotherapy,” says Tomisław Bensari, President of the Management Board of PGF Urtica Sp. z o.o.
With the project in place, the company will be able to deliver drugs to any place in Poland within 24 hours, and fill STAT orders within just 6 hours of placement. Every month, the warehouse will release 100,000 packages and about 5,000 pallets.
“Pelion’s strategic objective is to achieve a sustainable and consistent growth in the healthcare sector in line with our mission to promote a long and quality life. Importantly, we have remained a Polish business since inception. Therefore, investment projects such as the new distribution centre, while boosting the development of our own business, bring measurable benefits to the entire Polish economy,” stresses Jacek Szwajcowski, President of the Pelion Management Board.
The opening ceremony was attended by Tadeusz Kościński, Deputy Minister of Development, who emphasised the project’s importance to the Polish economy. In his speech, he stressed its twofold benefit – for Łódź and for the whole region. “We have also gained a major new employer. The project proves that Poland is now a good place for business. We want it to be even better,” said the Deputy Minister in his opening address. With regard to the ‘Responsible Development Plan’ implemented by the Ministry of Development, he noted that special support would be extended to companies ready to forge stronger links with science and expand their R&D activities. “The aim is to catalyse the flow of Polish innovations into the market of finished goods and services, allowing Poland’s economy to successfully compete on the European and global markets,” he added.
For further information, please contact:
Pelion S.A. Press Office
Phone: (+48 42) 200 75 94
Fax: (+48 42) 200 75 35
Email: biuro_prasowe@pelion.eu
PGF Urtica Sp. z o.o. is the largest distributor of drugs to hospitals in Poland, with 25 years of market presence. Its operations are run from the central warehouse in Łódź, the head office in Wrocław and four branch offices located in Łódź, Katowice, Poznań, and Lublin. The company works with the world’s largest drug manufacturers, ensuring that patients in Poland have continued access to safe and innovative pharmacotherapy. Thanks to an advanced process of goods flow management, PGF Urtica is able to track drugs at every stage of the distribution chain. The company consistently expands its services by introducing dedicated solutions for manufacturers.
Pelion S.A. has operated on the market for twenty-six years, starting out as a local pharmaceutical wholesaler. In 1998, the Company shares were floated on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Proceeds from the initial public offering fuelled the Company’s dynamic growth and allowed it to embark on consolidation of the pharmaceutical wholesale market. Today, Pelion Healthcare Group is one of the largest groups operating in the healthcare markets in Poland and Lithuania. It provides services across all market segments (wholesale, retail sales and sales to hospitals), targeted at individual patients, pharmacies, hospitals, and manufacturers. As a holding company, Pelion S.A. oversees all areas of the Company’s operations, which are conducted by PGF S.A. and Pharmapoint Sp. z o.o. (wholesale), PGF Urtica Sp. z o.o. (hospital sales), CEPD N.V. (retail sales), and Pharmalink Sp. z o.o. (services for manufacturers).
