Divisions - UPEX

UPD distributes throughout South Africa and exports into SADC countries through our Lea Glen facility daily into Gaberone and Namibia, and twice a month into Zambia and Zimbabwe.

UPD acquired a controlling share in Kalahari Medical Distributors ( PTY) Ltd in Gabarone in June 2008. This deal was strategically important for UPD who were looking for an opportunity to expand their markets into the SADC region.

The customer profile of Kalahari compliments the UPEX customer base which allows UPD to extract syngeries from the combined operations. The base in Gaborone significantly enhances our services levels in the entire region.

The combined business occupies 1000sq metres of pharmaceutically compliant warehouse space. The fully compliant warehouse is especially important for our third party distribution clients wishing to grow their markets.

The combined resources gives us the confidence to aggressively pursue large government and private opportunities. The new business is in a position to meet the needs of all customer categories

The target markets include private pharmacies, mines and mine hospitals, government health services procurement agencies, NGO`s, Doctors and private hospitals, Pharmaceutical, surgical and front shop products are all supplied in a seamless service.

UPD's presence in Gaborone allows us to improve our ability to meet the needs of Gaborone Private Hospital, one of the Life Health Care Hospitals located in Gaborone.

Distribution within the Healthcare sector to Africa

UPEX Distribution Map

Wholesaling, fine distribution and bulk distribution

* Wholesaling is also known as 'fine distribution', which is unlike 'bulk distribution' (that is carried out by New UPD’s distribution division) in that wholesaling involves the purchase of products from manufacturers by the wholesaler, which thus takes ownership of its inventory. Fine distribution of the product is largely undertaken in single units. Wholesalers’ clients include independent pharmacies, pharmacy groups, doctors, hospitals, clinics and 24-hour emergency facilities, which require smaller quantities of products to be delivered frequently on a just-in-time basis. Bulk distribution, on the other hand, is carried out on behalf of third-party clients. In this instance, the distributor does not purchase the product from the manufacturer, but operates on behalf of and on instruction from its clients, distributing products in bulk and on a less frequent basis primarily to wholesalers, buying groups and large retail chains.