- EBRD lends €12.5 million to major Romanian pharma group DONA for capex plans 2021-23
- Group will invest total of €17.9 million on improvements
- Upgrades include pharmacy licences acquisitions, network improvements, and transport
The EBRD is lending €12.5 million to Dona Group, one of Romania’s biggest vertically integrated pharmaceutical entities, to support its plans to expand and upgrade its services.
The EBRD loan will support the group’s three-year capex plan and consolidate its market position through the acquisition of licenses and thus the expansion of its retail network with around 48 new pharmacies by the end of 2023 (a rise of 11 per cent), and refurbishment of existing pharmacies.
It will also support the further development of DONA Group’s wholesale business through the purchase of equipment required by the recent extension of its warehouse network as well as the in-house operation of the transport services through the development of its own transport company, Dona Cargo.
Among other features, the project will introduce a new, replicable and internally accredited training programme improving skills for up to 240 people in partnership with local vocational schools or universities.
The investment is aligned with the priorities set by the Romania Country Strategy (2020-2025), which includes a priority to support productivity through corporate expansion, innovation and skills upgrade, which is also specified through the objective of expansion of competitive companies and SMEs.
The EBRD is a major institutional investor in Romania. To date it has invested nearly €1 billion in 488 projects.
