McKesson Canada has been a major contributor to Manitoba's economy for close to 100 years, supplying products and services to retail pharmacies, hospitals and institutions throughout the province and into North West Ontario. The new McKesson Canada Winnipeg Distribution Centre, whose grand opening was celebrated December 3rd, represents an investment of over $1 million, provides work to over 35 employees, and will generate sales in excess of $225 million annually.
"This facility is quite a change from our old distribution centre on Wall street where we resided for the past 47 years," commented Brent Teulon, Vice-President Western Canada. "I have been personally promising that we would build a new modern, more efficient distribution centre, and we are finally here."
Addressing the guests, comprised of pharmacists, Hospital Administrators, and Government officials, Claudio Bussandri, President and CEO, McKesson Canada, stated: "We increasingly understand the challenges that pharmacists are faced with - shortages of qualified technicians, grueling hours, as well as adapting to new technologies. We understand the need to balance these challenges with the desire to bring quality care to your patients. We see improvements to our internal processes, such as the modernization of our Winnipeg D.C., as one way to support you in that important endeavour. We also believe in developing services which will support those priorities, and allow you to be successful."
The Honorable Scott Smith, Minister of Industry, Economic Development and Mines, commended McKesson Canada's contribution to Manitoba's economy: "McKesson Canada has been a leader in Manitoba, and a leader in Canada, for over 75 years. They are a growing presence and their continued support is important to Manitoba. I hope you continue to expand and last for another 100 years."
For Winnipeg's Deputy Mayor Dan Van Dal, the new distribution centre will bring a number of positive spin-offs for the city: "I am proud to be here, supporting a company like McKesson Canada, at an opening that symbolizes jobs being created, enhances our tax base and encourages people to move to Winnipeg. I am thrilled to see jobs like these being created, ones where people give back to the community."
For more information, please contact Françoise Leblanc, Coordinator of Communications, McKesson Canada, by telephone at 514.832.8287, via email at communication@mckesson.ca, or visit our Web site at www.mckesson.ca . Photos and fact sheet also available.
McKesson Canada Mission
To be the Canadian leader in health care supply management solutions by advancing the success of our partners.
About McKesson Canada
McKesson Canada is the leading provider of logistics as well as information products and services within the Canadian health care marketplace. McKesson Canada offers a range of integrated solutions through our six business units which are McKesson Pharmaceutical, McKesson Outsource Logistics, McKesson Automation, McKesson Medication Management, McKesson Health Solutions, and McKesson Information Solutions.
McKesson Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of McKesson Corporation of San Francisco, one of the world's leading health care supply management and information technology companies.
About the McKesson Canada, Western Marketplace
McKesson Canada operates five distribution centres in Western Canada. These centres, located in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Regina and Vancouver, service 2,603 customers comprised of 1,182 corporate/chain outlets, 625 banner stores, 326 independent retail pharmacies, and 470 hospitals and clinics. They house a total inventory of 18,000 front-shop products, such as laundry soap and diapers, 9,000 OTC products, such as cough syrup and headache tablets, and 8,000 Rx prescription medicines. McKesson Canada has been actively contributing to Western Canada's economy for over 90 years, and this year alone will generate over $1,9 billion in sales.
About the McKesson Canada Winnipeg Distribution Centre
Opened December 3rd, 2003, McKesson Canada’s distribution centre is located on 25,000 square feet on Notre-Dame Street in the Northwest part of Winnipeg. It caries more than 12,000 OTC and Rx prescription products with a total inventory worth approximately $15 million. The Winnipeg distribution centre serves over 300 customers daily from both Manitoba and Northwest Ontario. These customers are comprised of 134 corporate/chain outlets, 72 hospitals and clinics, 50 independent retail pharmacies, and 44 banner stores. McKesson Canada has been actively contributing to Manitoba's economy for over 75 years, and this year alone will generate approximately $240 million in sales and employs between 30 and 35 employees.