origins The Costas Papaellinas Organization has a long history of over 75 years. The first company was created in 1928 and operated for many years as C. A. Papaellinas & Co., the name of its founder, Costas A. Papaellinas. In 1952, it was succeeded by CPO, short for Cyprus Pharmaceutical Organization Limited, which is today the main trading company of the Costas Papaellinas Organization. CPO is an ISO 9001: 2000 certified company. foundations/ownership The shareholding of the group is divided between Paris and Thanos Papaellinas, the CEOs of the Cyprus and Greece operations respectively. The Costas Papaellinas Organization is now one of the strongest commercial entities in Cyprus with a combined turnover exceeding 40 million US dollars. Its credibility and impeccable financial standing are unquestionable. The CPO name inspires confidence and commands respect at all levels of business activity, both in Cyprus and abroad. importing CPO is a leading importer, distributor and exclusive agent for a wide variety of products. They range from consumer (mass market) products, perfumery and cosmetics, to pharmaceutical products, hospital, analytical, dental supplies and surveying instruments. Most of our principals and their products are world-famous and brand leaders in their respective fields. We can say with certainty that almost everyone in Cyprus uses at least one of our products every day. sales, distribution, retail A large team of experienced salespersons, beauty consultants and medical representatives and a modern fleet of delivery vans provide a broad distribution network. Through regular visits throughout Cyprus they reach all potential outlets covering virtually all food stores, department stores, pharmacies, perfumeries, duty free shops, tourist outlets, hospitals, clinics, doctors, laboratories, contracting companies, government departments and institutions. We also maintain a trendy retail operation by running concessions in strategic locations at major department stores, in addition to our own pharmacies/perfumeries. after sales service CPO has been a pioneer in providing first-class after sales service and support and we are already an indisputable market leader in Cyprus. With a well staffed and fully equipped in-house technical and after sales center our goal and priority is to remain the leader in today’s increasingly demanding market where trust and confidence are of paramount importance to our customers. growth Over the last three decades the Costas Papaellinas Organization has grown dramatically in several directions. In addition to importing, distributing and retailing in Cyprus, we have also had a presence in Greece since 1956. Our sister company, Costas A. Papaellinas (Hellas) S.A. has its headquarters on the outskirts of Athens and a branch in Salonica and employs altogether over 80 people. Our wholly owned headquarters in the commercial center of Nicosia, have recently been renovated and enlarged through the addition of two new stories currently occupying a total area of about 3500 sq m. Furthermore, as part of our strategic expansion plan, we have acquired two well-known companies in the medical field and created joint ventures and strategic alliances with other reputable firms in Cyprus.