About us
Vetter Success Story
It all started with a pharmacy in Ravensburg, 75 years ago. See the events, milestones and highlights that helped shape our history.
75 years of Vetter: A success story built on courage, passion, and a sense of responsibility
We celebrate 75 years of Vetter and would like to take this special year as an opportunity to reflect on the most important milestones in our history and to celebrate the successes we have achieved together.
How can a vision turns into reality and an Upper Swabian pharmacy become a globally successful company like Vetter? When courage and passion meld, when pioneering spirit and expertise meet, and when those who get things done and those who make things possible come together. When the focus is on responsibility and the highest possible standard of quality. You can rely on Vetter—as you have since 1950.
The Vetter Training Center opens doors to the future
The state-of-the-art Vetter Training Center—which is connected to our Ravensburg West site—opened its doors in 2024. Its more than 5,000 square meters are allocated to training and development. 75 young adults complete apprenticeships to become a Chemical Laboratory Technician or Pharmaceutical Technician (m/f/d) over the course of three years. Here we also offer various certification programs and accredited IHK courses.
Uniting Growth and Sustainability
In 2023, few topics have occupied us as much as sustainability. While we steadfastly continue to grow, we have reached several important milestones in our sustainability strategy.
Vetter's first sustainability report published
For years, we have been regulating and intensifying our extensive sustainability efforts with our EHS program (environment, health and safety). In 2021, we were able to achieve CO2 neutrality of all sites ‒ one of many achievements.
New site in Rankweil put into operation
After one and a half years of renovation, Vetter obtained the operating license for its new clinical production facility Vetter Development Service Rankweil in Austria's Vorarlberg region at the end of the year. The production site has been supporting international customers ever since during the important phase of process development and clinical filling of innovative APIs.
Long-term investment strategy
Despite an uncertain global outlook, we sustained our growth through a keen focus on balancing both stability and development. We continued our investment in both regional and international capacity (development and commercial), and opened a new corporate headquarters building in Germany.
In focus: Sustainable energy supply
Vetter reaches another important sustainability milestone: Thanks to relevant offsetting measures, our production emissions at all German sites have been CO2-neutral in Scopes 1 and 2 since mid-2019. These sites have been exclusively powered by CO2-neutral electricity from verified renewable energy sources.
Winner: Facility of the Year Award
Our Center for Visual Inspection and Logistics wins the renowned Facility the the Year Award (FOYA), in the category “Facility of the Future.”
New branch office opens in South Korea
With the establishment of aregional office in South Korea, Vetter underscores its commitment to the Asia Pacific market. The new office footprint better positions us to both support existing business in South Korea and help new local and global customers meet stringent development, manufacturing, and packaging requirements of their injectable drugs.
New multi-functional Development Service and IT building
Expansion of our Ravensbug Schuetzenstrasse building helps us meet growing customer demand for drug development support, as well as our own need for enhanced IT systems.
New Vetter presence in Tokyo, Japan
A new Vetter business entity in Tokyo underscores Japan’s importance to our business. As the second largest pharmaceutical market, Japan is home to a number of leading global companies with promising injectable products in their pipelines. Our new regional office supports customer relations and the development of new business within Japan.
New regional office in Singapore
Vetter opens its first Asia-Pacific office to boost our regional presence and tap Asia’s rapidly growing healthcare market. The new office supports both customer relations and the development of new business.
First product transfer from Skokie to Ravensburg
This year marks the first of many clinical-to-commercial product transfers from the US to Germany, providing further proof of our versatile single-source manufacturing services.
New site in Ravensburg West commissioned
Our new center for visual inspection and logistics goes into operation, with our Ravensburg West site offering even higher quality standards and safer, more efficient supply chain processes.
First US production site in Skokie, USA
Vetter Development Service expands its operations and Vetter’s early clinical development services, with a site located at the Illinois Science Technology Park outside Chicago.
North American sales office moves to Skokie, USA
Our North American sales office relocates from Yardley, Pennsylvania, to a community outside Chicago, Illinois. Our subsidiary settles in the suburb of Skokie, future home of our first US production site: a new facility dedicated to early-phase clinical development.
Vetter continues to grow
On April 1, Vetter combines its sales and marketing activities under the subsidiary Vetter Pharma International GmbH, strengthening Vetter Pharma-Fertigung’s position in the international marketplace.
Full-service evolution
Vetter becomes a full-service provider for its international customers.
Innovation and automation
1990 is a significant year for Vetter. The company takes a major step forward by rolling out its fully automated production line and launching the Lyo-Ject® double-chamber prefilled syringe, an innovation that makes it possible to administer medication more safely and efficiently.
The new focus: syringe technology
In 1981, Vetter takes the groundbreaking step of focusing exclusively on prefilled syringe technology. The company discontinues the production of contact lens fluids and halts the contract manufacturing of conventional dosage forms such as tablets, capsules, and powders
Vetter’s groundbreaking idea for the ready-to-use syringe
In 1979, Helmut Vetter has an innovative breakthrough: the pre-filled syringe, which quickly becomes the centerpiece of the company’s production strategy and forever alters how medications are administered.
Innovative packaging methods
In the 1960s, the quality of medicine packaging becomes increasingly important. In 1965, Vetter expands its services from packaging to include contract manufacturing of pharmaceuticals. In collaboration with a local engineer, the company develops innovative techniques.
Pharmacy entrepreneur
This period marks an important milestone in the company's history. To keep up with demand, the company moves to larger premises, acquired the current Vetter pharmacy at Marienplatz, and begins producing additional medicinal products, special teas, and a teething gel.
Foundation
In 1950, pharmacist Helmut Vetter leases the Marien-Apotheke pharmacy in Ravensburg and founds the Vetter Pharma family business. This decision laid the foundation for what Vetter is today. In 1954, next to the usual pharmacy business, he develops the stomach medicine Ullus® which is even exported to the United States. The advantage of its wafer capsules is that it is a tasteless form of gastrointestinal drug delivery.
Licensed as a pharmacist
Honorary Senator and pharmacist Helmut Vetter (1920-1999) founds the “Chemisch-Pharmazeutische Laboratorium Ravensburg GmbH,” which includes a laboratory, a school for lab technicians, and a drug production facility.
