What if preparing thousands of prescriptions each day could be faster, smarter, and more reliable?  

Some may find it hard to believe that robotic automation can support pharmacy teams in safely preparing thousands of prescriptions with fewer errors and more output. 

But that’s exactly what’s happening at Orca Farma, a modern central fill hub in Alkmaar.  

By teaming up with RoboPharma, they’ve transformed how medications are prepared, labeled, and packaged.  

Thanks to smart automation and a strong, committed team.  

And at the heart of it all is Operations Manager, Asher Zahir. 

Meet Asher – The Person Behind the Operations

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role?  

 “I am Asher, the driving force behind operations at Orca Farma. My adventure began here about four years ago and I have been leading the team ever since. I must honestly say, the atmosphere here is inspiring, and the teamwork that goes into our work makes it a truly special place to work.”

“Before this, I worked as a Senior Project Manager at our parent company, SPITS in Alkmaar. It was a valuable experience that I gained a lot of knowledge from, but I think that my current role aligns better with who I am and where I want to go in terms of my career.”  

Something that struck me when I walked around the location was that almost all of the staff, I met here were women. Why do you think that is?

“If you take a walk around here, it immediately stands out, it is an almost entirely female team. And that gives the organisation a calm, focused vibe. This is not something we consciously aim for; it just has developed over time like this. 

What we notice in practice is that many of our female colleagues excel in the kind of work that is central to our operations here: handling medication prescriptions accurately, securely, and in a structured manner.

Of course, for us, it’s not about gender but about qualities. Everyone who feels at home here, man or woman, is welcome and given the space to grow in their role.” 

Asher Zahir (Orca Farma Operations Manager)

It looks especially calm in the workplace today, is it always like this?

“Today, you caught us at a quieter moment,” says Asher with a smile.

 “But that’s certainly not always the case. Monday and Tuesday are the busiest days here, bustling with activity. The whole team is present, and production is in full swing.

This rhythm is closely tied to prescription requests from pharmacies. In my experience, the beginning of the week is the busiest in terms of prescribing behavior. Since these prescriptions are not predictable, we must act quickly as soon as they come in. 

On Monday and Tuesday, our production consists of about 80% standard prescriptions and only 20% repeat prescriptions.

From Wednesday onwards, it’s a different story. Then things calm down a bit, and we focus more on repeat prescriptions.

It’s almost as if the week is split into two parts – first the storm, then the structure.”

How did the teams from RoboPharma and Orca Farma work together to implement the new central fill system? Were there any challenges?

 “Absolutely, there certainly were,” says Asher candidly.

“The collaboration with RoboPharma was intensive and educational. Together, we set up a completely new automation system where the hardware itself had already proved itself but the software, the platform, was still in the final phase of development. 

What made it really unique too was that Orca Farma was given the space to help shape that platform. 

That sounds great, and it was, but if you can imagine, it also meant that we were building something new whilst the train was already up and running. Certain parts of the system were not yet developed enough, which meant we had to constantly switch and think quickly in order to meet demand.“

RP20 system by RoboPharma (High volume pharmacy automation)

At the same time, we had to familiarise our entire team with technology that was completely new to them, such as the RoboLabel and RP20 systems. That learning curve was steep, both technically and operationally.

It was intense, but it brought us together a lot as an organisation. And precisely because of that close collaboration with RoboPharma, we were able to continue developing and optimising the system.”

Although they initially encountered delays during installation, Asher decided to contact the RoboPharma team again and work together to find a more structured approach.

“I went back to the project team at RoboPharma and said, let’s create a clear implementation plan together – who does what, how, and when. Once we had that, everything went smoothly. We don’t regret it, and the systems have been running well ever since.”

“We ran into some challenges and then I came back to the team at RoboPharma” Asher explains.

“I said, let’s analyze it again and go back to the drawing board. We then created a concrete implementation plan together: what do we need to look at development wise? What has priority? Who does what, when, and how?

Once we had that structure on paper and there was joint ownership, the project calmed down. Everything really started to move in terms of production, and we don’t regret taking the leap, the automated systems are stable now and do exactly what they were intended for.”

RoboLabel system by RoboPharma

What’s Next for Orca Farma?

Orca Farma is not slowing down. In fact, expansion plans are already in full swing. 

“Our goal is to start packaging refrigerated products for our pharmacies in Q2. But we will only do that if the foundation is solid: the system must run stably, efficiency must continue to increase, and together with RoboPharma, we will continue to refine and develop the platform.”

“There are still plenty of improvements in the process that we are actively working on right now. For example, we recently scaled up our production environment. In Q1, originally, we were working with five RoboLabel stations, and we are now up to seven. And that’s just the beginning. We are preparing for a move to a larger facility in 2026, a logical step in our growth curve.” 

“Currently, the team serves a network of 24 pharmacies that they supply,” but Asher made it clear that the door is always open. We are also happy to collaborate with pharmacies outside our group. The systems we have built can grow with us.”

A Partnership Built on Trust and Progress

Today, Orca Farma processes over 2,500+ prescriptions per day using RoboPharma’s automation systems.  

Together, this forms a flexible “micro-hub” model built for performance, scalability, and real-world pharmacy workflows. 

The collaboration between Orca Farma and RoboPharma is proof that innovation isn’t just about automating processes, it’s about partnership, planning, and people.  

With RoboPharma’s cutting-edge central fill systems seamlessly integrated into Orca’s operations, and Asher leading a dedicated team on the ground, this site is a powerful example of how technology and teamwork can transform pharmaceutical care.  

RoboPharma is proud to have contributed to Orca Farma’s success and remains committed to supporting their continued growth and innovation. 

Want to learn how RoboPharma can help your operation scale with confidence?

Call us at +31 416 347 172