Pharmacy mergers will lead to creation of two giants

According to Waldemar Jonczyk, the president of Aptekarz, "due to complex legal procedures the process is to be completed no sooner than this autumn," which will result in a company of which the yearly turnover will total zl.800 million. It is known that one of the mentioned companies will actually take over the rest, but who it will be remains unsettled, as negotiations are still being held. All of the companies belong to Apofarm, a network of wholesalers controlled by pharmacy owners. The consolidated enterprise will have at least 1,200 shareholders and supply as many pharmacies. Waldemar Jonczyk estimates that the merged company will have a 4.5%-5% share of the market. There is yet another pharmaceutical group being created in the north of Poland. Galenica-Silfarm, set up for the consolidation purposes, is going to connect seven wholesalers, of which the yearly turnover exceeds zl.1 billion. Jacek Kolaczek, the president of Galenica-Silfarm, said that "the two groups will finally merge after each consolidation process has been completed." (Puls Biznesu, p.9) J.L.