“The growth of the logistics industry in the pharmaceutical sector in Uruguay is incredible”

During the fifth edition of Uruguay Best Practices in Pharma Supply Chain, an event organized by the Uruguay Pharma HUB Group, Uruguay XXI, and the National Institute of Logistics (INALOG), Argentine Leandro Mbarak, founder of Pharma.IA shared his vision of Uruguay’s pharmaceutical logistics industry’s development and strengths.

Mbarak, an expert in artificial intelligence applied to the pharmaceutical sector, highlighted the industry’s technological progress: “The sector is working hard on the technological part, which is a very important differential in competitiveness, so there are many companies dedicated to it.”

He pointed out that artificial intelligence can simultaneously optimize the quality and efficiency of processes, allowing people to focus on higher-value tasks.

The Pharma.IA founder commented that he is already working with Uruguayan companies: “Fortunately, we are working with two companies in Uruguay, and we are advancing to a stage of multiple feasibility studies to implement specific solutions.”

He emphasized that artificial intelligence projects usually start with small initiatives that demonstrate quick results and allow further solutions to be implemented iteratively.

With more than a decade of experience in the country, Mbarak praised the development of the logistics industry in the pharmaceutical sector in Uruguay. “The growth that the industry had is incredible. Uruguay is an essential platform for the pharmaceutical industry despite the population. The industry developed at an incredible level, taking advantage of many advantages and functioning precisely as a hub,” he explained.

For Mbarak, investments and improvements in infrastructure have been critical to Uruguay’s success as a logistics hub. “The main strengths that I see in the logistics sector in the country are all the investments and the work that has been done in the airport and port sectors and the optimization of procedures. Many specialized logistics facilities have been installed in pharma”, he evaluated.

He also highlighted the synergy between the public and private sectors, which has boosted infrastructure development and specialized personnel training. Mbarak concluded that artificial intelligence will continue to be a crucial ally in Uruguay's pharmaceutical logistics sector's ongoing development, helping to consolidate its position as a leading logistics hub in the region.