For the first time last year, Dr. Wolff, the Bielefeld-based manufacturer of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, recorded a turnover in excess of €300 million. At more than €309 million, turnover grew by some 4 per cent compared to the previous year (2017: €297.5 million). This success was once again due both to the cosmetic (Dr. Kurt Wolff GmbH & Co. KG) and medical (Dr. August Wolff GmbH & Co. KG Arzneimittel) sectors. Both divisions grew by 4 per cent; a turnover of around €223 million was recorded for cosmetics (2017: €214 million) and €86.7 million for the medical sector (2017: €83.4 million).
Now managed by the fourth generation of the family, further internationalisation, new products and initial digitisation breakthroughs have guaranteed the success of the company group. Turnover from international business grew by 3 percent to more than €67 million (2017: €65.5 million). With new markets added in Albania, Georgia, Cambodia, Kosovo and Mongolia, Dr. Wolff products are available for the first time in 62 international markets. Even with a growing domestic business, the export quota remained at 22 per cent. "Our business is based on many solid pillars", highlighted Eduard R. Dörrenberg, managing director of the Dr. Wolff Group at the financial statement press conference in Bielefeld, Germany.
According to the industrial association Körperpflege- und Waschmittel e. V. (IKW), Germans spent around €13.8 billion on body care – an increase of 1.8 per cent. Hair care, skin and face care products have been in particular demand. This demand has benefited Dr. Wolff. Thanks to successful long-term best-sellers and newly developed products, the domestic business grew by 4 per cent to a total of €242.5 million (2017: €231.9 million). "We remain committed to creating true innovations and solutions to previously unresolved problems. And if we are not the first on the market, then we aim to develop better products", stressed Eduard R. Dörrenberg.
This growth is in line with the trend of the past 20 years of company management by the fourth generation of the family. Eduard R. Dörrenberg became the managing director in 1998 and has tripled the turnover of the Dr. Wolff Group since then. In addition, the workforce has grown to 675. In this time, not only has Alpecin been repositioned as a shampoo to prevent hair loss for men, but brands Plantur, Vagisan and Biorepair have also established themselves as market leaders in their respective segments.
With sales growth of 15 percent and a turnover of around €64 million (2017: €55.6 million), the Plantur brand is the winner of the 2018 financial year. "With Plantur39, we have successfully addressed the issues of menopausal hair loss, thinning hair and poor hair growth, and impressed the market with highly effective products", explained Mr Dörrenberg. For ten years now, Vagisan, the second winner of the year, has been alleviating the painful symptoms of vaginal dryness in the genital region with the first hormone-free MoistCream – and not only for women undergoing menopause. Dr. Wolff recorded growth of ten per cent in the gynaecology sector in Germany. Turnover rose to €23.1 million (2017: €21.1 million).
During the cold winter months last year, medicinal skin care was the solution chosen by many to treat very itchy and neurodermitic skin. This is reflected in the turnover for pharmaceutically developed Linola products. In Germany, Linola recorded growth of 4 per cent, reaching €42.7 million (2017: €41.1 million). An innovative medical intensive care product comprising scalp tonic and tailored shampoo designed to soothe itchy scalps was added to the medicine portfolio in autumn 2018. With pure echinacea root extract and linoleic acid, these products rely on the effective combination of bio-based ingredients and pharmaceutical galenics. As such, this skin care concept from the pharmacy is close to being a medicinal solution.
Dr. Wolff has been focusing on tooth care with hydroxylapatite since 2008. During this time, the turnover in the oral care division has grown to €25.4 million. After ten years of intensive work around smoothing teeth, preventing plaque and protecting against periodontitis, the Dr. Wolff Group is shifting focus for the first time to concentrate on fluoride-free caries prophylaxis with the Karex brand. Based on hydroxylapatite, a natural substance found in teeth, the innovative toothpaste and corresponding mouth wash have been proven to combat caries in a way which was only previously possible with products with added fluoride.
A success story to be continued. In addition to oral care, skin and hair care products also play an important role. In terms of research into new medicinal products, Dr. Wolff is using the results of a clinical study on the treatment of hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating. As such, the company anticipates stable growth in 2019 despite the pending Brexit.
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