Proxim
 | |
| Subsidiary | |
| Founded |
1984 (as Essaim) 2004 (merger and creation of PharmEssor) 2006 (launching of the Proxim name) |
| Headquarters | Boucherville, Quebec |
Key people |
Guy Papillon, founder Michel Chartrand, president |
| Products | Pharmacy, retail |
Number of employees | +-3000 |
| Parent | McKesson Canada |
| Website | http://www.groupeproxim.ca |
Proxim (also known by its corporate name Groupe PharmEssor) is a Canadian group of pharmacists located in Quebec and to a lesser extent in Ontario and the Maritimes provinces. Proxim competes with Jean Coutu, Pharmaprix/Shoppers Drug Mart, Uniprix/Unipharm, Brunet and Familiprix. The average Proxim drug store is 4,000 square feet (370 m2), similar to typical size of a Brunet or Unipharm location.
Proxim is the third largest pharmacy in Quebec, in terms of number of stores, after Jean Coutu and Uniprix.[1] All Proxim stores are owned by independent pharmacists that comply with Proxim's business rules and practices. Proxim's private brand is called "Atoma" and the company also has its loyalty card program.
There are close to 270 drug stores in Eastern Canada that carry the Proxim name.
History
On August 2004, two companies - Groupe Essaim and Gestion Santé Services Obonsoins Inc - regrouped to form Groupe PharmEssor. The three pharmacy chains affected by this merger - Essaim, Obonsoins and Santé Services - were initially kept separate and intact by PharmEssor. However on February 2006, PharmEssor consolidated all of its operations under a single banner, Proxim, hence eliminating the previous banners. The name "Proxim" was inspired from the word "proximity" to describe the group's great accessibility to pharmaceutical cares.
One year after the creation of Proxim, the Proximed banner was created on February 2007. Thus, an estimate of 31 selected locations operate today under the name Proximed.
On June 19, 2008, McKesson Canada acquired Proxim.
Notes
- ↑ Uniprix as the second largest pharmacy regroup the banners Uniprix, Unipharm, Clinique Santé and Uniclinique. However, all of theses banners have less outlets than Proxim. Proxim is the second most common pharmacy banner in Quebec after Jean Coutu.