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Oriola was founded as part of the Orion Group in 1948 under the name Apteekkitavarakauppa Oriola Oy with the purpose of importing, selling and distributing pharmaceuticals and other chemical products as well as sanitary goods and other closely related products. Mainline operations got under way in Helsinki in 1951 and in 1954, the company posted its first profit.

Oriola expanded into a fully-fledged pharmaceuticals wholesaler in 1956, when it established its first local wholesaling operation in Seinäjoki. This was followed by the setting up of a succession of new local distributors during the 1960s. Operations to establish an international presence got under way in the beginning of the 1960s, when a new International Department devoted its efforts to handling dealings with clients abroad.

Operations were further expanded at the beginning of the 1970s by setting up the Hospital Supplies Department, through which both pharmaceuticals and laboratory supplies were sold to hospital and laboratory customers. Around the same time, Oriola, like other wholesalers, began to transfer to a single-channel system.

Hammasväline Oy, a dental supplier, became a wholly-owned Oriola subsidiary in 1974 and was incorporated into the wholesale business. At the beginning of the 1980s, Oriola began preparations for developing its export operations with the aim of acquiring its own non-pharmaceutical production facilities and wholesale trade in healthcare products for the export market. To further expand its operations, Oriola purchased Reformi-Keskus Oy and Herbaco Oy in 1986 to increase its sales of organic products.

International operations were in full swing in the 1990s. Oriola started wholesaling operations in Estonia in 1990 and was the first Finnish drug wholesaler in the Baltic States. It was granted full wholesale rights in Estonia in 1993. Operations were started in Lithuania in 1994 and in Latvia in 1995. Operations were further strengthened in Sweden through the acquisition of a local dental equipment company.

From the standpoint of Oriola’s growth, the most important project was carried out in July 2002, when the Demerging Orion acquired a majority holding in Sweden’s second-largest pharmaceuticals distributor, Kronans Droghandel AB and Oriola and KD were combined to form the Demerging Orion Group’s Wholesale and Distribution Division. The deal made the Demerging Orion Group the leading player in the pharmaceuticals wholesale trade in Finland and Sweden as measured by market shares at the time.

 

An another important expansion was made in 2008 when Oriola-KD acquired a pharmaceutical retail and wholesale companies Vitim and Moron in Russia. Oriola-KD completed the Russian acquisition in February 2010.

 

Oriola-KD entered the Swedish pharmacy market by acquiring a phamracy cluster in February 2010. Thanks to the acquisition Oriola-KD has become third largest pharmacy chain in Sweden.