UDG Healthcare plc, formerly United Drug, is a
Dublin-based international company and partner to the
healthcare industry
The healthcare industry (also called the medical industry or health economy) is an aggregation and integration of sectors within the economic system that provides goods and services to treat patients with curative, preventive, rehabilitative, a ...
, providing clinical, commercial, communication and packaging services. It was listed on the
London Stock Exchange until it was acquired by American private equity company
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in August 2021.
History
The company was established in
Ballina in
County Mayo
County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...
as The United Drug Chemical Company, a co-operative controlled by Irish pharmacists, in 1948. UDG bought
Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
-based Ashfield Healthcare for £16.5 million in 2000.
In January 2007, the company acquired Presearch, a UK laboratory services company, for GBP £2.9 million. It acquired Pharmexx, a
Frankfurt-based business, in July 2012. In September 2012 it decided to move its primary listing from
Irish Stock Exchange
Euronext Dublin (formerly The Irish Stock Exchange, ISE; ga, Stocmhalartán na hÉireann) is Ireland's main stock exchange, and has been in existence since 1793.
The Euronext Dublin lists debt and fund securities and is used as a European g ...
to the
London Stock Exchange.
[United Drug set to shift to LSE]
FT, 5 September 2012 It changed its name from United Drug to UDG Healthcare in October 2013. In February 2014, the company made its largest acquisition when it bought KnowledgePoint360 which specializes in healthcare communications for €105 million and made it part of its Ashfield division.
In September 2015, UDG Healthcare sold its Irish drug distribution businesses to
McKesson Corporation
McKesson Corporation is an American company distributing pharmaceuticals and providing health information technology, medical supplies, and care management tools. The company delivers a third of all pharmaceuticals used in North America and emplo ...
for $466 million. In May 2016 UDG Healthcare acquired Pegasus, an integrated healthcare communications consultancy. In October 2016 the company acquired STEM Marketing, a provider of commercial, marketing and medical audits to pharmaceutical companies. In July 2017, the company acquired Vynamic; later in the same month it acquired Cambridge BioMarketing for up to $35 million. In August 2018, UDG Healthcare announced the sale of its Aquilant division to H2 Equity Partners, a European private equity firm, for a total potential net consideration of up to €23 million (approximately $27 million).
The company agreed to be acquired by
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in a £2.8 billion transaction in June 2021.
Operations
UDG Healthcare plc operates across two divisions: Ashfield and Sharp.
References
External links
UDG Healthcare website
Companies formerly listed on Euronext Dublin
Pharmaceutical companies established in 1948
Multinational companies
Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange
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