Our Legacy

Zionism, Pioneering and Professionalism

 

The history of SLE is a major part of the history of the State of Israel: its founders are among the founders of the Jewish Yeshuv and its leaders are key figures in the economic market in Israel.

 

Here are several significant milestones in the company's history:

 

1901 - Establishment of Salomon and Levin
Haim Salomon, the sixth son of Yoel Moshe Salomon one of the founders of the old Jewish Settlement founded a drug-trading house, together with his brother-in-law Moshe Levin, near the Nablus Gate in Jerusalem and named it "Salomon and Levin".

                                           

1916 – The Establishment of SLE
A number of years later, Yitzhak Elstein, another of Haim Salomon's brothers-in-law, joined the company and the three decided to join forces. They purchased the Lapin Pharmaceutical Company in Jaffa and changed the name of their joint company to SLE – Salomon Levin and Elstein.
The company, a pioneer in the Israeli pharmaceutical market, dealt mainly with the import and distribution of drugs in Israel, then named Palestine.

The 1930's - a New Era for Pharmaceutical Production in Israel
In the 1930s, many pharmacists and chemists immigrated to Israel, most of them from
Germany. They established production houses for drugs such as Teva, Zori and Ikapharm.


1935 - Teva plant was established in Jerusalem
Dr. Gutter Friedlander and Dr. Elsa Kober founded the Teva plant in Jerusalem's Bayit Vagan neighborhood

Establishment of "Assia Laboratories Ltd." - a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant
SLE's founders perceived that their new competitors may diminish their wholesale trading house and decided to establish their own drug manufacturing plant in Petah Tikva, called 'Asia Laboratories Ltd. Years later 'Asia' merged with the 'Zri 'plant.

Zionism, Pioneering and Professionalism
  • The late 1960s - SLE buys Teva
    Years later, Haim Solomon handed over the management of the Asia plant to his son Nachman. Nachman's daughter, Dalia, married Eli Hurvitz, who, as part of his academic studies, began working as a dishwasher in the factory's laboratories. Eli started to learn the secrets of trade and moved up the ranks to join the company's management.
    As part of the mergers and acquisitions policy of that Assia-Tzuri management followed in those days, Eli Hurvitz decided to purchase the Teva plant; consequently, Asia acquired Teva's shares. 

 

  • 1976 - Assia, Tzuri and Teva Merger under the brand "Teva"
    In order to strengthen its position in the pharmaceutical market, the joint company's management decided to merge the companies under one main brand – Teva. SLE continued to operate as a general store owned by Teva, providing supply chain services to Teva in Israel.

 

  • The 2000s - SLE Becomes an Independent Organization
    Teva decided to turn SLE into an independent company, providing international, high standard supply chain services to global pharmaceutical companies and other local companies interested in logistics' solutions in the Israeli pharmaceutical market.

 

  • 2011- Launching the Logistics Center in Shoham
    The advanced logistic center in Shoham was constructed in light of the significant growth in SLE's activity and Teva's desire to provide a central logistics solution for its plants located at various sites in Israel. The center provides the highest standards of supply and logistics services.