MCK Company Profile

We conduct our business through three segments. Through our Pharmaceutical Solutions segment, we are a leading distributor of ethical and proprietary drugs, and health and beauty care products throughout North America. This segment also manufactures and sells automated pharmaceutical dispensing systems for hospitals and retail pharmacies, medical management and specialty pharmaceutical solutions for biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturers, patient and payor services, consulting and outsourcing services to pharmacies and distribution of first-aid products in the United States. Our Medical-Surgical Solutions segment distributes medical-surgical supplies and equipment, and provides logistics and related services within the United States. Our Information Solutions segment delivers enterprise-wide patient care, clinical, financial, supply chain, managed care and strategic management software solutions, as well as outsourcing and other services, to healthcare organizations throughout North America, the United Kingdom and other European countries. The Company's strategy is to create strong, value-based relationships with customers, enabling us to sell additional products and services to these customers over time.

The U.S. Pharmaceutical Distribution business operates and serves over 30,000 locations through a network of 28 distribution centers, as well as a master distribution center and a repackaging facility, serving all 50 states. We invest in technology and other systems at all of our distribution centers to enhance safety, reliability and the best product availability for our customers. For example, in all of our distribution centers we use Acumax' Plus, a Smithsonian award-winning technology, which integrates and tracks all internal functions, such as receiving, put-away and order fulfillment. Acumax' Plus uses bar code technology, wrist-mounted computer hardware, and radio frequency signals to provide our customers with industry leading order quality and fulfillment at up to 99.9% accuracy. Closed Loop DistributionSM, which integrates portable Palm technology with Acumax' Plus to give customers complete ordering and inventory control, and Supply Management OnlineSM, an Internet-based ordering, purchasing, third-party reconciliation and account management system, help ensure that our customers have the right products at the right time for their facilities and patients.

Competition

In every area of healthcare distribution operations, our Pharmaceutical Solutions and Medical-Surgical Solutions segments face strong competition, both in price and service, from national, regional and local full-line, short-line and specialty wholesalers, service merchandisers, self-warehousing chains, and manufacturers engaged in direct distribution. In addition, these segments face competition from various other service providers and from pharmaceutical and other healthcare manufacturers (as well as other potential customers of the segments) which may from time to time decide to develop, for their own internal needs, supply management capabilities which are provided by the segments and other competing service providers. Price, quality of service, and, in some cases, convenience to the customer are generally the principal competitive elements in these segments.

Our Information Solutions segment experiences substantial competition from many firms, including other computer services firms, consulting firms, shared service vendors, certain hospitals and hospital groups, hardware vendors and Internet-based companies with technology applicable to the healthcare industry. Competition varies in size from small to large companies, in geographical coverage, and in scope and breadth of products and services offered.