Strategy

Covid-19: The Pierre Fabre Group reorganizes to produce hydroalcoholic gels in France and Brazil

25 March 2020

Since mid-March, the teams at our dermo-cosmetics production sites in Soual, near Castres (south-west France), and in Areal in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, have been fully mobilized to produce hydroalcoholic gel.



The unprecedented health crisis caused by Covid-19 means that hydroalcoholic gel is now an essential product. Hospitals, pharmacists and pharmacy staff are on the front line in the fight against the virus, and have an acute need to protect themselves and to meet the huge demand from their patients.



As the long-standing partner of dispensing pharmacists, the Pierre Fabre Group could not simply look on without taking action as the constant risk of shortages began to threaten a product that has now become a vital part of daily life.



Since hydroalcoholic gel is not usually manufactured by the Group, its production required a high degree of agility on the part of the staff at our plants: At our plant in Soual, we had to:

  • reconfigure the production and packaging lines generally reserved for shampoos;
  • use 100 ml bottles normally used by the Klorane brand;
  • bring together the components needed to manufacture the gel: alcohol, glycerin, and purified water.

     

Production began on March 23 in Soual and will start next week in Areal (Brazil). The batches of the products will be distributed as they are manufactured (from March 30). Five hundred thousand units will be initially produced in France (the equivalent of 50 metric tons) and 200,000 units (18 metric tons) in Brazil. We are in permanent contact with our component and bottling suppliers to ramp up volumes in the coming weeks. 



In France, this gel will be given to health care workers in hospitals, as well as to pharmacy teams. It will be on sale in pharmacies under the dermo-cosmetics brand DUCRAY at the retail price set by the French government, i.e. no more than 3 euros per 100 ml bottle. The same approach will be taken in Brazil, where the gel will be on sale under the local dermo-cosmetics brand DARROW.



The Pierre Fabre Group extends its heartfelt thanks to its staff and partners, who are working hard to ensure the success of this operation.  

 

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