On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, our school’s Chemistry Club (a member of the American Chemical Society’s ChemClubs network, supervised by Christodoulos Makedonas), together with other high school students, visited the pharmaceutical company ELPEN’s factory in Pikermi.
ELPEN is one of the most active Greek pharmaceutical industries, with a strong presence in both production and research. Founded in 1965, the company currently employs more than 1,700 people, many of whom are scientists. Its main production facilities are located in Eastern Attica (Pikermi and Keratea), while it has also developed international operations through subsidiaries in Germany and the United Arab Emirates.
Our visit began at the Experimental and Research Center, where the company’s HR Manager, Ms. Sotiria Menounou, welcomed us with refreshments and then presented the company’s activities. Among other things, she spoke about ELPEN’s strategic investments, such as the Athens LifeTech Park, the first biotechnology applications development park in Southeastern Europe, as well as the Elpenhaler inhalation device, a Greek invention with international patents used in respiratory disease treatments.
Next, the Production Manager of the Pikermi penicillin unit, chemist Konstantinos Seretis, discussed career orientation topics with our students.
The visit continued with Ms. Maroudia Giakoumi, Quality Control (QC) Manager and Qualified Person (QP) for the Pikermi production unit, and Ms. Panagiota Papaioannou, Head of Compliance Assurance and Stability Monitoring for ELPEN’s finished products, who guided us through the factory (excluding restricted areas). During the tour, our students had the opportunity to discuss the process by which an active substance is transformed into medicine and to learn about the remarkable capabilities of the Greek pharmaceutical industry. They also saw firsthand the strict implementation of hygiene and safety measures in practice.
The visit concluded where it had begun, with the students enjoying another treat.
We would like to warmly thank ELPEN for the opportunity to visit and for their exceptional hospitality. We also express our sincere gratitude to the company’s team for the time they dedicated, their informative presentations, and their willingness to answer all our questions thoroughly. Finally, we would like to especially thank Ms. Maria Xerovasila for organizing the visit.
The first group of our students together with Ms. Papaioannou (QM Compliance & Stability Senior Manager) and Ms. Giakoumi (QC Manager/QP).
Ms. Menounou (HR Manager, Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding) presents the company’s activities to our students.
Ms. Giakoumi speaks to our school group.
Mr. Seretis (Production Manager) and Ms. Giakoumi