Celesio UK's acquisition of Northern Ireland wholesaler United Drug Sangers has received full approval from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and both businesses can now start to integrate.

Peter Surgenor (pictured) will manage the Sangers and AAH Belfast business units with teams from both Sangers NI and AAH Belfast reporting directly to him. Mr Surgenor, who has worked for Sangers for 33 years and has held the position of managing director since 2005, commented: “The integration process will take some time, but this is a great opportunity to combine the best features of both businesses. 

“Sangers has been delivering excellence to pharmacy for over 150 years and with AAH Pharmaceuticals we have a new opportunity to bring together scale and expertise with first class service and relationships.  

“It is our intention to ensure that we retain the history and heritage that both businesses have in Northern Ireland. We will create a best-in-class healthcare business providing the best combination of products and services to the Northern Ireland market from the propositions of both Sangers NI and AAH Pharmaceuticals to deliver outstanding service to customers.

“Whilst we continue with our integration planning it will be business as usual and we will continue to deliver the standards of service that our customers expect and deserve.”

Celesio's parent company McKesson announced its agreement to acquire the pharmaceutical distribution division of UDG Healthcare in September 2015. The agreement included the purchaase of United Drug and United Drug Sangers, leading wholesale operations across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; TCP, a leading home healthcare provider in the Republic of Ireland; and MASTA, a travel healthcare business based in Leeds.

The ROI businesses (United Drug and TCP) were integrated in April 2016, while the European Commission referred the UK aspects of the transaction to the CMA. The UK Businesses were ‘held separately’ pending the outcome of the CMA’s review.

The order was lifted on June 1 and the acquisition approved by the CMA on June 29.