About us

Vetter Success Story

It all started with a pharmacy in Ravensburg, over 70 years ago. See the events, milestones and highlights that helped shape our history.

Mitarbeitende die auf einem Dach stehen uns sich über Photovoltaik unterhalten

2023

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. 

The prestigious recognition with the EcoVadis Platinum Medal was without a doubt one of the most important milestones on our mission to become a pioneer in ecological and social responsibility. And there were two more reasons for us to celebrate: We won the Sustainable Impact Award and received the Environmental Management Award from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment. In November 2023, we joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) with the aim of becoming 100 % carbon-neutral by 2050. 

Find out more about our vision for a more sustainable future in the pharmaceutical industry in our sustainability report. 

Read our sustainability report

Sustainability report 2021

2022

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. Our sustainability report, which was first published in 2022, is comprised of 82 pages and offers a detailed overview of all actions and a strategic perspective on Vetter's ecological, economic and social goals that should be reached by 2029.

Vetter development service office in Rankweil, Austria

2021

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. 

Vetter Standort Headquarter Ravensburg

2020

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.

Vetter and TWS Partnership

2019

In focus: Sustainable energy supply

Vetter reaches another important sustainability milestone: Since mid-2019, all our German sites have been exclusively powered by CO2-neutral electricity from verified renewable energy sources. This achievement highlights our commitment to protecting our climate and environment, and reflects an important element of our responsible corporate governance.

Vetter Standort Ravensburg West

2018

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.” The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) is impressed by the intelligent combination of location design, state-of-the-art technology, and innovative processes.

Opening of office in Incheon, South Korea

2017

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.

Vetter RVB Ravensburg

2016

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.

Opening of Office in Tokyo, Japan

2015

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.

Skyline Singapur

2014

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.

 

2013

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.

Vetter Standort Ravensburg West

2012

New site in Erlen commissioned

Our new center for visual inspection and logistics goes into operation, with our Erlen site offering even higher quality standards and safer, more efficient supply chain processes. In many ways, the site’s optimized operations are an investment in the future: they use a variety of renewable power sources, including energy from both photovoltaic cells and biogas.

Vetter development service office in Chicago, USA

2011

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. Now, Vetter can provide direct regional support to North American customers who need early-phase, cGMP-compliant aseptic filling of vials, syringes, and cartridges.

Vetter Chicago Sales office

2010

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. Short commutes and a faster, more direct information exchange strengthens our partnership with regional customers.

Vetter Standort Ravensburg Süd - Mariatal

2009

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. In the fall, Vetter opens its Ravensburg Vetter South site, including our new secondary packaging facility, VSP.

Vetter RVS Ravensburg

2000

Full-service evolution

Vetter becomes a full-service provider for its international customers. This new direction brings investment in new facilities, like Ravensburg Vetter South (RVS), as well as expansion of existing sites and implementation of new operational technology and quality assurance systems.

Lyophising machine

1990

Innovation and automation

This year marks the launch of the Vetter Lyo-Ject® dual-chamber prefilled syringe. Two years later, Vetter uses robots in the aseptic production process for the first time ever, setting a new quality standard for parenteral product manufacturing. In 1996, production of the Vetter Lyo-Ject® dual chamber syringe is fully automated at our manufacturing facility in Langenargen.

1984 Prefilled Syringe

1984

The prefilled syringe

Vetter Pharma-Turm Inc. is founded in New Jersey, USA, demonstrating Vetter’s growing international focus. In 1984, the prototype for the dual-chamber Vetter Lyo-Ject® syringe is presented worldwide.

historic picture of manual visual inspection

1970

Moving towards aseptic production

Our company begins sealing in reduced-particle manufacturing areas. Helmut Vetter introduces the concept of the prefilled syringe, which becomes the focus of the manufacturing portfolio in the late 70s.

Vetter Pharmaceutical Processes

1965

Innovative packaging methods

With pharmaceutical packaging quality becoming increasingly important, Helmut Vetter expands contract blister packaging and drug manufacturing.

Historic Vetter Pharmacy Downtown Ravensburg

1958

Pharmacy entrepreneur

Helmut Vetter develops the Ullus® stomach medicine, which goes on to be sold in the USA. In 1958, he purchases his own pharmacy on Marienplatz in Ravensburg.

Kapseln gegen Magenleiden

1950

Foundation

Helmut Vetter leases the Marien-Apotheke (pharmacy) in Ravensburg, which becomes the foundation of our company. There, he develops the Ullus® stomach medicine, which is exported as far as the USA.

 

1945 Licensed Pharmacist

1945

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.