Interview with Gaetano Colella, Managing Director of Movianto Italy
Gaetano Colella is the Managing Director of Movianto Italy, and CEO Eurotranspharma Italy, formerly XCM Healthcare, a recent addition to the Movianto family. With a rich background in logistics and a passion for continuous learning, Gaetano has made significant contributions to the industry and is already leaving his mark in his new role. Movianto, known for its innovative solutions for healthcare logistics across Europe, now plays a crucial role in the distribution of pharmaceutical products within Italy and beyond.
Q: Can you tell us about your career journey and your past experiences in logistics?
Gaetano Colella: My career journey has been diverse. I hold a master’s degree in Human Resources Organisation and a second master’s in Logistics. I started in legal departments of ITALDATA SPA, a company part of Siemens AG, but soon transitioned to sales at Rinaldi Transport, a leader in pharma transport in Italy in 2000. In 2006, I moved to SDA, the express subsidiary of Italian Post, managing sales and key accounts, including the first contract with Amazon in Italy. I then worked at several other transport and logistics companies, building connections, until 2020, when I co-founded XCM Healthcare and later founded Unitex in collaboration with the Marzano family.
Q: How did you come to work for Movianto?
Gaetano Colella: In 2024, XCM Healthcare and Unitex were acquired by the Walden Group, leading to the merger of Unitex with Eurotranspharma and XCM Healthcare with Movianto, marking Walden’s entry into the Italian market. Today, I lead both Movianto Italy and Eurotranspharma Italy, and serve as the general secretary of the Pharmacomitalia association and a technical committee member of CONSORZIO DAFNE, pillar transport.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in pharma/healthcare logistics?
Gaetano Colella: My entry into the pharma and healthcare logistics sector was driven by my connections and expertise, and because the industry has great upward mobility. In 2000, I began managing sales at Rinaldi Transport, and since then I have stayed in the industry because there are so many great opportunities.
I have been able to move upward and work for many different companies and people, managing operations, helping found new organisations, even working with trade associations. There is a lot of work to be done in pharma logistics, and when you know people and work hard, the opportunities come to you.
Q: Generally speaking, what is your view on the healthcare industry in Italy?
Gaetano Colella: Italy is one of the largest healthcare industries in Europe. We have a significant concentration of pharmaceutical manufacturing sites and over 20,000 pharmacies. We have some of the largest pharma manufacturing companies in the world: Angelini, Chiesi, Menarini, Recordati, Bracco, etc. The pharmaceutical market has a turnover exceeding 30 billion euros, and over 3 billion euros are invested every year into pharma R&D in Italy. So, if you are a pharma logistics expert like us, it’s the place to be.
For healthcare logistics specifically, our market is dominated by exports, as about 80% of our pharmaceutical manufacturing products are transported internationally. But we have a very strong domestic market too, as a unique aspect of Italian pharmacies is that they act as wholesalers, requiring substantial transport volumes.
Q: What are the current trends in the pharma logistics industry in your country?
Gaetano Colella: The ageing population is a critical trend in Italy, necessitating support for hospitals, local sanitary companies, and small pharmacies. The healthcare market is growing in general, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased demand for pharmaceutical products and medical devices. Telemedicine and diagnostics are also rapidly advancing, driven by the needs of an ageing population.
As for trends specifically in our industry, we are seeing Italian pharmaceutical companies who historically did their own in-house logistics are more and more willing to outsource their logistics operations to experts like us. Much of this is due to new innovations that we can bring to them. We also can assure them that we follow the highest possible European quality standards, thereby allowing them to focus more on their manufacturing business and R&D.
Q: What makes Movianto Italy different from the local competition?
Gaetano Colella: Movianto’s entry into the Italian market last year was met with high demand from pharma companies seeking innovative, high-quality solutions. The fact that we are an international group, with strict international quality standards processes, puts us on a different level from our local competition.
The other big differentiating factor is investment capacity: the group is making large investments in our technologies and processes, our automation and quality management systems, traceability, and digitisation. We are also investing in sustainability and prioritising certifications like Ecovadis, which is new to the Italian market in many ways.
Q : What are your future plans for Movianto Italy?
Gaetano Colella: Looking ahead, it’s all about growth. We are currently recruiting to expand our team; we want to grow our network and invest in logistics infrastructure. I am personally very excited about the future of Movianto in Italy, we are truly poised to become a real industry leader.