History

On 22 January 2007, the Wholesale and Commercial Affairs Division of Alliance Boots plc was branded as Alliance Healthcare. Although a new creation, Alliance Healthcare's origins can be traced back to the story of Alliance UniChem and the growth of its businesses across Europe.

In the nine years following its formation in 1997, the Alliance UniChem Group made great strides in creating a successful, coherent group out of a large number of independent companies in a wide range of countries, each with a distinct culture and a long history. In a relatively short time, Alliance UniChem went from being primarily a pharmaceutical wholesaler with a presence in just four countries, to a pan-European leader delivering medicines and healthcare services in twelve countries via two core businesses – Wholesale and Pharmacy.

Today’s Division is built on solid foundations and commitment to pharmacy runs through our heritage - from the establishment of the Maison Thomas pharmacy in France in the mid-19th century (later developing into one of the founding businesses of Alliance Santé), to the creation by Stefano Pessina and Ornella Barra of pharmaceutical wholesale businesses Alleanza Farmaceutica and Di Pharma in Italy in the late 1970’s. It continues through to the establishment of the European Pharmacists’ Forum (EPF) in 1999 and the signature of the ground-breaking agreement with Portugal’s national association of pharmacies  (Associação Nacional das Farmácias) in 2005.

Key milestones since 1997

2010:

• Membership of the pan-European Alphega Pharmacy network (France, Italy, Spain, UK, Czech Republic and Russia) increases to over 3,000 pharmacies
• Alliance Boots becomes a majority shareholder in Hedef Alliance. In addition to Turkey, Hedef Alliance has a controlling 50% stake of UCP (the leading pharmaceutical wholesaler in Egypt) and an associate interest in HydraPharm (the largest wholesaler in Algeria).
• Alliance Healthcare Italia becomes an associate business, with a 49% stake owned by Alliance Boots GmbH and a 51% stake owned by a company controlled by AB Acquisitions Holdings Limited.

2009:

• Membership of the pan-European Alphega Pharmacy network (France, Italy, Spain, UK, Czech Republic and Russia,) more than doubles its membership year on year to over 2,000

2008:

• Hedef Alliance, together with UCP, acquires a 30% stake in Hydrapharm Spa, a market leader of Algerian pharmaceutical wholesale
• Alliance Boots acquires Central Homecare, which provides home healthcare services to patients in the UK who require management of complex drug therapies
• Acquisition of Depolabo, a leading provider of pharmaceutical pre-wholesale and contract logistics services in France to wholesalers, pharmacies and hospitals on behalf of more than 50 manufacturers
• 29 Jan 2008 - Completion of Group's 50:50 joint venture in Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals Corporation (“GP Corp”), the fourth-largest pharmaceutical wholesaler in China.

2007:

• 26 June 2007 - AB Acquisitions acquired Alliance Boots. AB Acquisitions is a company controlled by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Stefano Pessina.
• UniChem commences in its role as Pfizer’s appointed logistics service provider for the manufacturer’s new “Direct to Pharmacy” distribution model.
• Launch of Alliance Healthcare brand at Division level
• Rebranding to Alliance Healthcare of business units in the Czech Republic, France, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

2006:

• Launch of the Wholesale and Commercial Affairs (WSCA) Division
• Acquisition of Cordia Healthcare, Cardinal Health’s UK short-line pharmaceutical wholesale business
• 31 July 2006 - Alliance Boots is formed through the merger of Alliance UniChem Plc and Boots Group PLC
• The Group acquires Apteka Holding (Russia)
• Alliance UniChem acquires majority stake in UCP (Egypt)

2005:

• Alliance UniChem acquires 100% of Alloga (specialist healthcare logistics and pre-wholesaling) outside Switzerland
• The Group acquires Spanish pharmaceutical wholesaler Farmacen
• The Group enters the Northern Ireland pharmacy market through the acquisition of the market leader, Bairds Chemists
• Alliance UniChem forms partnership with Portugal's national association of pharmacies, Associação Nacional das Farmácias

2004:

• Alliance UniChem increases its shareholding in Andreae-Noris Zahn AG ("ANZAG"), the third largest pharmaceutical wholesaler in Germany, from 10.99 to 29.99 per cent of the equity

2003:

• Alliance UniChem obtains a 40% indirect stake in the Egyptian wholesaler UCP via Hedef

2002:

• Acquisition of Holtung (Pharmaceutical Wholesale - Norway)
• Alliance UniChem Plc enters the FTSE100 index (London Stock Exchange)

2001:

• Strategic partnership with Hedef Holding (Pharmaceutical Wholesale - Turkey)
• Development of Alliance Apotekene (Retail Pharmacy - Norway)

2000:

• Acquisition of Interpharm (Pharmaceutical Wholesale - The Netherlands)
• Purchase of De Vier Vijzels (Retail Pharmacy - The Netherlands)

1999:

• Partnership with Galenica AG (Pharmaceutical Wholesale - Switzerland)
• Creation of Alleanza Farmacie Comunali (Retail Pharmacy - Italy)
• Merger of Alliance Santè and UniChem's Portuguese subsidiaries to form Alliance UniChem Farmacêutica S.A (Pharmaceutical Wholesale - Portugal)
• Purchase of Plus s.r.o. (Ltd.) and Pragopharm s.r.o. (Pharmaceutical Wholesale - Czech Republic)
• Creation of the European Pharmacists Forum, sponsored by Alliance UniChem

1998:

• Majority stake in Grupo Safa (Pharmaceutical Wholesale - Spain)

1997:

• November 1997 - the Alliance UniChem Group is formed through the merger of Alliance Santè SA and UniChem Plc.

For a history of Boots Group PLC, go to the Alliance Boots website .