The history of the now 4th generation owner-managed company goes back to the 19th century. In 1890, Dr. Wilhelm Kerstein laid an important foundation for the company that would become an impressive corporate development, when he bought the Raths-Apotheke in Hameln from the successors of Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner, who discovered morphine. Sertürner’s invention had a lasting impact on the business of the Kerstein family as pain medication is still the company’s core business today.
From the pharmaceutical factory in Hameln to an international company
Over the past 130 years, the family company has developed into an internationally active pharmaceutical group that specializes in the development and sale of injectable generics. Our drugs are mainly used in the medical disciplines of intensive, emergency and palliative medicine as well as anesthesiology.
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Buying the nucleus – How it all began with the Raths-Apotheke in Hameln
At the end of the 19th century, the family of pharmacist Dr. Wilhelm Kerstein decided to relocate from Tecklenburg to Hameln, 130 kilometers away in Lower Saxony. In 1890, the pharmacist acquired the oldest pharmacy in the Pied Piper town, the Raths-Apotheke Hameln. -
Adolf Ahrens Medizinaldrogerie acquired
In 1930, in the midst of economic crises and catastrophes, Günther Kerstein, the son of Wilhelm Kerstein acquired the Adolf Ahrens medical drugstore at Bäckerstraße 5. This purchase was the starting point for the development and foundation of a veterinary drugs laboratory. -
Foundation of Galenopharm
In 1932, the chemical-pharmaceutical institute Galenopharm was founded as a marketing and sales company. -
Export of veterinary medicines
First international export of veterinary medicines to Belgium. -
From the galenic laboratory to the factory
In 1950, the Hameln pharmaceutical factory is founded by Dr. Günther Kerstein. Production begins in the so-called “barn” in Hameln’s city center. Veterinary and human medicines are produced. In 1955, contract manufacturing of ampoules, coated tablets and tablets begins. Due to lack of space, a new building is later erected opposite the “barn”. -
Strophanthine
One of the first injection preparations from Pharmazeutische Fabrik Hameln. In 1955, contract manufacturing of ampoules, coated tablets and tablets begins. -
The new building in Bäckerstraße
The company grows and expands. It soon became necessary to erect a new building between Bäckerstraße and Kleiner Straße in order to create more space and expand the company premises. View of the courtyard with the completed new building on the right in 1951. The company’s transport van fitted exactly through the courtyard entrance. -
Eike Kerstein becomes Managing Director
In 1966, Eike Kerstein, the son of Dr. Günther Kerstein, joins the management of Pharmazeutische Fabrik Hameln. -
From Small Scale to Industrial Scale
The new factory building in Afferde is completed so that the company can move from Hameln’s city center to the new building. -
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Second construction phase
After completion of the second construction phase in 1975, the accounting, sepdelen and tablet production departments also moved into the new factory building in Lange Feld. -
Purchase of Phoenix Pharma
Acquisition of Phoenix Pharma, founded in 1972, which sells injection products to hospitals in the United Kingdom that have always been manufactured by Pharmazeutische Fabrik Hameln. -
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Specialization in parenterals
The building in Hameln-Afferde must once again be adapted to the increased demand. In three construction phases, the building area will be expanded so that a total of 11,000 square meters will be available in the Lange Feld. Ampoule filling, packaging and the quality control laboratory are given more space. The first compact ampoule system… -
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Pharma Hameln’s own products
Proprietary products that Pharma Hameln distributed on the German hospital market until 1992. -
Christoph Kerstein joins the management board
After Christoph Kerstein had already become a co-owner in the company in 1985, he joined his father on the management board in 1993. -
Development of own product approvals begins
At the end of the 1990s, in-house development was started and the first proprietary products such as fentanyl, dobutamine and sufentanil were developed and approved. -
The Astrapin company’s licenses are purchased.
Pharma Hameln acquires the marketing authorizations of Astrapin, thereby expanding its own product range. Internationalization of products in Asia, the Middle East and South America. -
hameln pharmaceuticals gmbh
In 2001, the company Pharma Hameln is renamed hameln pharmaceuticals gmbh. By changing to the English-language the increasing internationalization of the company was taken into account. -
Focus: Generics
From 2002, hameln pharmaceuticals continues to drive forward the generics business – and concentrates on the production and marketing of around 50 active ingredients. Export countries MENA, LATAM, ASIA -
Eike Kerstein retires
After 37 years of entrepreneurship, Eike Kerstein retires as managing director and shareholder of hameln pharmaceuticals in 2003. Just in time for his 65th birthday, he hands over his remaining shares and responsibility for the family business to his son Christoph Kerstein. -
hameln pharmaceuticals ltd.
The name was changed from Phoenix Pharma Ltd. to hameln pharmaceuticals ltd. in mid-2004. -
hameln group
In 2005, the operating business of hameln pharmaceuticals gmbh is split into 3 operating companies and hameln group gmbh is founded as a holding company. In the course of this, a separate logo is created for each company, which is derived directly from the hameln pharmaceuticals logo. -
New building for the English company
Phoenix Pharma in England is renamed hameln pharmaceuticals ltd. in 2004 and moves into the new building in Gloucester in mid-2005, which combines offices and a warehouse. -
Acquisition of a laboratory site
In 2006, a new building is acquired at the Modra site in Slovakia and from 2007 the company operates under the name hameln rds. The abbreviation rds stands for the range of services from research, development and supply chain (research, development and trading business). -
Excellent packaging design
On May 30, 2008, the Federal Association of German Hospital Pharmacists (ADKA) e.V. will award a prize for the packaging design used since 2004. -
Change of managing director
With effect from February 17, Christian Kanzelmeyer has been appointed Managing Director of hameln pharma plus gmbh. In his new role, Christian Kanzelmeyer will take over the management of the company, which was previously led by Christoph Kerstein, owner and managing partner of hameln group gmbh. -
60 years of sterile production
The 60th anniversary of the production plant is celebrated in 2010. -
Representative Office Asien
Ab 2010 Betreuung der asiatischen Märkte aus Hong Kong, sowie Aufbau neuer Vertriebs-Partnerschaften innerhalb der Region. -
Sales of contract manufacturing – focus on product sales
Sale of the contract manufacturing business area to Siegfried AG at the end of 2014. From 2015, focus on the development and approval of parenteral drugs and their international marketing. -
Foundation of a sales company in Denmark
Since the company was founded in the 1950s, the European markets have been of great importance to hameln pharma. We have been able to introduce and establish numerous “hameln” products in the markets through long-term cooperation with local sales partners. Emerging from the long-established matrix, we founded hameln pharma ApS in Glostrup, Denmark, in 2019. -
Representative Office in Taiwan
Since 2010, we have been able to continuously expand our existing markets in Asia and forge new partnerships within the region in order to be there for our customers directly and personally. This includes our representative office in Taiwan. -
Foundation of a sales company in Australia
The positive development of the market and the continuous increase in the number of customers in Australia over the past few years prompted us to establish our own local representative office and found hameln pharma Pty Ltd in Melbourne in January 2020. -
Move back to the city center
In 2020, hameln pharma gmbh is returning to where its roots are – directly in the city. After a good two years of construction, hameln pharma has moved into the new 2,500 m² building on the Island in the river Weser, barely 500 meters as the crow flies from Bäckerstraße, where the foundation stone for… -
Foundation of a sales company in the Netherlands
Establishment of further subsidiaries in the Netherlands. As of January 1, 2021, hameln pharma products in the Netherlands can be ordered directly via hameln pharma B.V. Distribution will be handled by Addimed pharma B.V. -
Foundation of a sales company in Sweden
Being close to the customer – hameln pharma lives this philosophy consistently and established its own presence, hameln pharma AB, in Stockholm, Sweden, on February 1, 2022. -
New managing director
Ms Beate Küter joins the management of hameln pharma gmbh on 1 March 2022. After more than 13 years, Christian Kanzelmeyer will retire on 31 December 2022. Mrs Küter is a highly qualified successor with many years of experience in leading positions in the pharmaceutical industry. -
Foundation of a sales company in Norway
hameln pharma ApS Norway, the new Norwegian subsidiary of hameln pharma, is strengthening its local market presence with the aim of intensifying cooperation with local authorities and healthcare professionals.
