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30 years Orthomol

Ready. For life. Celebrating 30 years.

It’s our anniversary!

In August 1991 Orthomol pharmazeutische Vertriebs GmbH was first established. Over the last 30 years, we have had one main concern: your health. We know that health is crucial to a long and happy life. This is why Orthomol products are there to help you, our customers, throughout your busy everyday lives with all the ups and downs. Life is full of challenges, after all. And we’re ready to face them together.

We literally began in our garage, with the Glagau family as our staff.

Dr Kristian Glagau, Orthomol founder, in an interview from 2009

A good idea at the right time

The idea behind Orthomol originated from an encounter at Munich airport. Dr Kristian Glagau, the father of current managing director Nils Glagau, had a natural instinct for innovation: the idea was to produce micronutrient combinations on the basis of orthomolecular nutritional medicine. Since the very beginning, the high quality of the Orthomol products and their scientific basis have been vital for the success of the company. It is for this reason that experts from a range of different fields, and particularly Orthomol’s in-house medical team, have been responsible from the outset for making sure that the products fulfil our high demands. You can rest assured of this because we are regularly certified by the German Technical Control Board (TÜV Rheinland) according to the strictest international standard on food safety, ISO 22000.

One family – from the very beginning

Orthomol began as a family business – and it has remained that way. “We have always considered it natural that every member of the family does their bit for Orthomol,” says Nils Glagau. Even 30 years since the company was established, we still pursue flat hierarchies and a feeling of warm-hearted togetherness, treating people with respect and like a family – whether it is among colleagues or in contact with you, our customers, partners and brand enthusiasts.

For us, health is a family concern – that applies just as much to the ‘Orthomol family’ as to our customers.

Nils Glagau, owner and managing director

1991-2001:

After Dr Kristian Glagau launches Orthomol pharmazeutische Vertriebs GmbH with Dr Hans Dietl, the newly founded company moves into 140 m² of office space in Poststraße, Langenfeld. In the beginning there are just two people on the Orthomol team. The first products are Orthomol Immun, Orthomol Vital f, Orthomol Vital m and Orthomol Cor.

Specially developed machinery is used for packing the Orthomol products. In the following years Orthomol expands in Langenfeld and opens its second site here – state-of-the-art technical equipment and good quality management are priorities right from the start. By 2001, the company has welcomed its 100th employee!

2001-2011:

In the years since its foundation, the number of people working at the company increases more than tenfold and there are now around 170 in-house and sales employees. Orthomol receives several awards, including the Company Award from the Federal Association of German Management Consultants (BDU) which is regarded as the “Nobel Prize” for German businesses. Dr Kristian Glagau is also presented with the Enterprise Award for Innovation by the German Association of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (BVMW). Orthomol’s first company childcare facility is launched, known as the “Orthomolinis”. Orthomol is regularly certified by TÜV Rheinland according to various regulations, e.g. according to the provisions specified in ISO 22000, the most important international standard for food safety. Orthomol products are now available in four forms of administration: tablets/capsules, granules, ready-to-drink vials and dry granules. Following the death of company founder Dr. Kristian Glagau, the second generation takes over the helm at Orthomol.

2011-2021:

Orthomol sends a big blue truck on a “Better Health” tour. Interactive facilities enable numerous visitors across Germany, both young and old, to learn about healthy eating and the role of micronutrients in health. Orthomol’s first offices abroad are opened in Vienna. Orthomol products are now available in over 30 countries around the world! In a fund-raising campaign Orthomol collects donations totalling more than 100,000 euros for “Die Arche” (a Christian charity that supports children and young people, active throughout Germany) in 2016; in our project entitled “With love from Orthomol” our work with different associations and organisations becomes ever more important. In 2016 more than 400 Orthomol employees celebrate the 25th anniversary of the family business. And now Orthomol is celebrating its 30th birthday and is able to look back on an exciting success story!

Present and future:

When Dr Kristian Glagau died unexpectedly in 2009, Nils Glagau took over the management of Orthomol and has since successfully continued his father’s work. With open and transparent communication, the executives and managers at Orthomol have adopted a culture and way of working that are shaped by team spirit, customer orientation and flexibility. Since 2019 Nils Glagau has also been an investor on the TV show “Dragons’ Den” on VOX in Germany (known locally as “Die Höhle des Löwen”). The innovative spirit at Orthomol continues unabated: bright minds and nutrition experts are continually working on ideas for new products and potential for further development in the world of Orthomol.

The “Orthomol look”

Over the past 30 years the Orthomol packs have changed their design several times – the “wall of blue” familiar to many people from their pharmacies appeared on the scene in later years. You can see our product Orthomol Immun in its various designs below. The new packaging design reflects our priority on clear recognition by our customers of both the product name and the area of use.