Phoenix Pharma SE (Phoenix Group), headquartered in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, is the largest pharmaceutical wholesaler in Europe, with over 200 distribution centers across Europe delivering drugs to approximately 3,300 own and about 18,000 independent Pharmacies in 17 European countries. Its Phoenix Documentation is an internet-based archive offering detailed information on drugs, their components, indications, and effects. The formation of holding company Phoenix International Beteiligungs GmbH took place. The Phoenix Group is a majority owner of the pharmaceutical wholesalers Purus A.S. in the Czech Republic and Tamro in Finland. The Phoenix Group itself is mostly owned by the pharmaceutical conglomerate Merckle Group.[2]
History
The Phoenix Pharmahandel Aktiengesellschaft & Co was 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) in early 1994. The newly established enterprise has achieved a market leading position in its home markets from day one. Only one year later in 1995, the company brand Phoenix was established and a major strategy roll-out throughout Germany, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands was initiated: During this process Phoenix acquired majority shareholdings in the Hungarian pharma wholesaling company Parma Rt., the Northern Italian pharmaceutical wholesaler Comifar S.p.A., 60-per cent shareholding in the second-largest Dutch pharmaceutical wholesaler ACF Holding NV, based in