Gerresheimer, Zollner Partner for Electronically Controlled Medtech Systems from a Single Source

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Gerresheimer AG and Zollner Elektronik AG are pooling their market-leading pharmaceutical and medical technology expertise under a strategic partnership. Starting immediately, they will offer pharmaceutical, healthcare and biotech companies their conceptual design, development and manufacturing capacities for drug delivery and medical technology systems, including complete electronics, from one single source. Gerresheimer serves as the central point of contact for customers.The market-leading partners combine the expertise of Gerresheimer in innovative devices for the administration of medicines and medical technology systems with the globally established electronics expertise of Zollner. Together they want to further develop their expertise in the healthcare sector and open up new markets.

With this strategic partnership, Gerresheimer and Zollner are counting on the global trend toward electronic, digitally controllable and connected drug delivery and diagnostic systems. These include insulin pens, inhalators, like for people suffering with asthma, Point-of-Care systems and medicine pumps. The demand for medical and pharmaceutical devices with electronic components mostly for the treatment of chronic illnesses will significantly increase in coming years. According to studies, the market for digital and connected solutions for the treatment of diabetes alone is expected to grow to around EUR 11bn by 2025.

Zollner Elektronik AG is one of the world’s largest manufacturing service providers for electronic and mechatronic components (Electronic Manufacturing Services or EMS). It generated revenues of around 1.9 billion Euros with just over 12,000 employees at 23 locations in Germany and abroad, 18.3% of that in the area of Healthcare & Life Sciences.

“The future belongs to digital treatment support with electronic systems and connected platforms,” said Dietmar Siemssen, CEO of Gerresheimer AG. “The partnership with Zollner helps us provide our pharma customers with innovative one-stop medtech solutions. For patients, using these solutions means better treatment and enhanced quality of life. At the same time, the healthcare system also benefits by way of permanently reduced treatment costs.”

“Digitalization of medical devices is advancing at a very fast tempo. At Zollner, we are happy to have found an ideal partner in Gerresheimer for the expansion of our successful Healthcare & Life Sciences efforts”, says Markus Aschenbrenner, Member of the Managing Board at Zollner. “Together we will expand access to existing markets, exploit new growth markets and support our mutual customers along the entire life cycle of the products.”

Zollner and Gerresheimer have collected much cooperation experience in numerous projects. The electronics specialist in Zandt already supplies Duesseldorf-based Gerresheimer with components and assemblies for medicine pumps in Parkinson’s therapy. Gerresheimer and Zollner are now further developing this cooperation and will act as equal partners for the healthcare system of the future. Through the integration of concept design, development and manufacturing, the products of both sides can be brought to market faster and more efficiently. Also gained is permanent, secure access to electronic components. The cooperation initially covers the development of inhalers for chronic lung disease sufferers, autoinjectors, ophthalmology systems and drug pumps, as well as contract manufacturing for these and similar devices.

Gerresheimer already boasts a portfolio of electronically controlled devices and solutions based on its own intellectual property, including the Respimetrix inhaler and the SensAir pump.The strategic partnership with Zollner will contribute to the significant expansion of that portfolio.

This partnership also supports the sustainability strategies of both companies. For instance, they have agreed on a technology exchange enabling the development of even more efficient production processes – including with the use of artificial intelligence – to minimize waste and rejects.