The excellence of medicine is made in Naples
From commerce to logistics, from rehabilitation centers to pharmacies, the Petrone Group is constantly growing, confirming their presence on the market as one of the leaders in Italy.
We have met Pierluigi Petrone to talk about it. He is CEO of the Petrone Group, president of Assoram, president of Farmindustria's SMEs and board member of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore
Italy is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the pharmaceutical sector, with a strong leadership position in Europe and worldwide. Some major companies have focused precisely on exports, as shown by the experience of the Petrone Group, a private, family-run business that has been involved in the pharmaceutical industry since the 1960s. “The company was founded in 1965, following an intuition of my father, Carmine Petrone, who at that time was collaborating with the commander Achille Lauro and his fleet – says the CEO Pierluigi Petrone, president of Assoram, of Farmindustria’s SMEs and board member of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore -. He was initially a supplier of drugs used for minor diseases in medical shops on board cruise ships, opening the way for the development of an intense intercontinental import-export activity “.
Today the Petrone Group is a holding company with more than 32 companies.
“Exactly 30 of these companies operate in the pharmaceutical sector, handling outsourcing activities like packaging, logistics, commercial, retail, hospital, and rehabilitation. But all of these companies have transcended the boundaries of the pharmaceutical sector and represent an example of sustainable growth and well planned differentiation. Since we are all pharmacists, pharmacy is rooted in our DNA. Our entire business is based on this”.
What are your strengths?
Today we can think of our reality as a candy with a small hole in the middle, where the hole is the pharmaceutical company and the candy around it are the outsourcing services that we can provide to the industry. We know perfectly well that today the best way to keep costs under control and turn them from fixed to variable is to outsource a number of services. We therefore tried to implement various activities, according to the needs of pharmaceutical companies, trying to create a whole network of services ranging from packaging and logistics, to the concession on the retail market of mature products that are no longer promoted by the pharma world or no longer the subject of scientific and medical information.
The group is extremely diversified and differentiated offering many activities enriching each other. Compared to many other competitors, the transversal nature of our business allows us to have interactions as buyers and sellers.
What extra services do you offer compared to companies similar to yours?
“We can serve as a one stop shop, a company that has trade concessions and creates a basket of product offering services ranging from delivery to cash collecting. Furthermore, we do commercial information remotely with our people in the area or via our call centers of Brescia, Naples and Barcelona. The holding company includes more than 30 companies with offices in Italy and Spain, serving clients located in the European Union, North Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, Singapore, and the Eastern Asia. The group is very dynamic, offering pharmaceutical trade as well as distribution, with a direct presence in the Italian and Spanish markets, retail sales through pharmacies – Naples and Barcelona -, rehabilitation activities in Campania, accredited with the NHS”.
Which Group companies will participate in CPHI and what do they specifically deal with?
“Euromed Pharma offers a complete range of services to manage the supply of pharmaceutical products, with customized solutions based on the specific needs of our partners. This company ensures that pharmaceutical products are distributed through integrated, valid and carefully controlled procurement processes. It serves hospitals and patients quickly and effectively. Simplifies access to unavailable, unregistered or innovative drugs in the country of destination, while fully complying with ethical and legal standards. Provides support during clinical trial phases, carrying out the logistical services dedicated to investigational drugs and the supply of high-quality comparative medicine. STM Pharma PRO, on the other hand, is one of the leading suppliers in Italy for specialized logistics services aimed at pharmaceutical, parapharmaceutical and veterinary companies.
They also manage drugs for experimental use in clinical trials around the world. The pride of the company is the clinical trials division, conducting thousands of clinical trials all over the world on behalf of major international pharmaceutical companies. Finally, Pharmaidea, founded in 2000, is a leader for contract sales organization. They provide numerous services including the sale of pharmaceutical products, scientific medical information and tender management for hospital items. Through a widespread, flexible and dynamic organization, they connect our partnering companies with the operators in the sector in order to maximize strategies and enhance brands by pursuing shared objectives. They also work in the veterinary sector.”
Osservatorio medico – scientifico – October 2022
Articolo a cura di Bianca Raimondi