DHL Supply Chain has bought a €50 million turnover Italian company, Eurodifarm, to strengthen itsposition in the European pharmaceutical logistics market.
Eurodifarm, based in Casalmaiocco, just outside Milan, specialises in the pharmaceutical anddiagnostic temperature-controlled outbound logistics distribution market, providing integrated andinnovative shipping solutions. It is seen as the country’s leading specialist fortemperature-controlled outbound logistics distribution of pharmaceutical, diagnostic products andmedical devices.
In 2010, the company had turnover of about €53 million and delivered some three million itemsto pharmacies, hospitals and wholesalers. It also has sites in Rome, Florence, Padua, Brescia,Genua, Ferrara and Piacenza and serves all of Italy through a nationwide distribution network.
Through the acquisition, DHL Supply Chain Italy is pursuing its strategy of furtherdeveloping DHL´s customer relationships in the Life Sciences and Healthcare industry. Eurodifarmwill continue to maintain its managerial and operational self-governance under the DHL Supply ChainItaly umbrella and will maintain its headquarters in Milan. DHL has confidence in the currentmanagement which in turn will ensure continuity in the relationships with Eurodifarm’s existingcustomers.
“Our customers in the pharmaceutical sector are increasingly asking for reliable solutionsalong the entire supply chain. With this acquisition we will now be able to provide exceptionallyhigh quality services in temperature-controlled product management and distribution within Italy,”said Eddy De Vita, Country Manager of DHL Supply Chain Italy and Managing Director in MainlandEurope for the Life Sciences & Healthcare sector. “The proven logistics expertise of DHL SupplyChain combined with the financial strength of our Group promises our customers even moreinnovations and tailor-made solutions in the not-too-distant future.”
With some 700 employees located in 39 sites, which cover more than 500,000 sqm of logisticsspace across Italy, DHL Supply Chain Italy already offers a comprehensive suite of solutions, fromdedicated and shared warehousing, co-packaging and kitting to managed transport and reverselogistics. Together with Eurodifarm’s specialised know-how in temperature-controlled distributionmanagement, DHL Supply Chain Italy will take an important step to improve the quality of servicesand its operational performance for the pharmaceutical industry.
Over the past three years Eurodifarm was controlled by the “Wisequity II & MacchineItalia” fund managed by Wise SGR S.p.A., a private equity company specialised in investing in smalland medium-sized Italian companies.
Valentina Franceschini, Partner at Wise SGR, said: “The investment made three years ago inEurodifarm created a unique Italian operator able to offer a professional service with high qualitystandards. This successful transaction represents a good example of Wise’s strategy to reinforcethe positioning of the company also through operations of aggregation.”
