Kirby Lester Celebrates 40 Years of Pharmacy Automation

Pharmacy automation provider Kirby Lester welcomed its 40,000th customer last year—a huge milestone for the company that got its start making simple tablet counters in the early 1970s. Now the company is celebrating another benchmark: 40 years of service to the pharmacy industry.

The secret to their longevity is simple, said Kirby Lester’s president and chief executive officer, Garry Zage, RPh. A registered pharmacist himself, Zage depends on the support of pharmacists who use the firm’s automation technology on a daily basis.

“Our 40 years can be summed up in one word: trust,” he said. “You have to earn the pharmacist’s trust by providing safe, reliable technology, and standing behind your products year after year.”

After purchasing the company in 2005, Zage expanded its research and development efforts and ushered in a new generation of pharmacy automation technologies. These include the company’s flagship line of robotic dispensing systems, the KL20, KL30, and KL60.

He also helped Kirby Lester expand into new markets through partnerships with international distributors. Today, the company serves clients in almost 40 countries.

“Forty years is an amazing accomplishment, considering the frenetic pace of today’s technology-driven world,” Zage said. “And I personally express my utmost gratitude to my fellow pharmacists for supporting this venerable company for four decades.”