 PHOENIX GROUP also acquired the regional wholesalers L. Rowland & Co. and Philip Harris Medical to establish a PHOENIX presence in the UK, with the aim of establishing a third significant player in the pharmaceutical distribution industry, alongside AAH/Lloyds and Unichem/Moss.The Rowlands estate comprised approximately 70 pharmacies at this time (November 2011).In 2000, the number of employees across the group exceeds 10,000 for the first time and the company acquired the Finnish Tamro Group in April with a 33.7% stake.