- in 2021 the quick balance sheet reports a turnover of 355 million euros for the first time
- digitisation offensive has increasingly been paying off since 2014
- forecast for further strong growth despite challenges
In the past year 2021, it was once again highly innovative products that formed the basis for a growth of almost five percent of Bielefeld-based Dr. Wolff Group. With an increase to 355 million euros in preliminary turnover the family-owned company successfully stood up to the second year of the pandemic and has increased sales by around 42 million euros since 2019.
New milestones were achieved above all in the segment of oral care (Bioniq® and Karex). Numerous scientific publications on the active ingredient hydroxyapatite1, the most recent one from the University of Toronto2, have been leading to growing international recognition. Thus, the new biological technology (bionics) is more and more developing into an effective alternative to long-established fluoride-based dental care. This is true even beyond pure caries prophylaxis.
In hair loss research, an important milestone was achieved with the approval of caffeine as an anti-hair loss agent in Australia. The effect, which is also known in Germany, is the reason why Alpecin and Plantur brands made significant gains against the trend in a declining German hair care market.
The hygiene segment, which was newly launched during the pandemic and initially included hand disinfection under the Linola® sept brand, was expanded at the beginning of 2021 after an antiviral mouth and throat rinse had been successfully tested on hospitalised COVID-19 patients3. The world’s first antiviral hand cream rounds off the hygiene portfolio.
In 2021 Dr. Wolff Group will continue their consistent growth course of the past few years in Germany and abroad across virtually all brands and areas. Only the hair salon segment suffered from the long lockdown in the first quarter of 2021. “For 2022, we are counting on further very dynamic growth. To achieve this, we will continue to invest consistently in a wide variety of research projects in different business areas. Thus, we expect new positive findings and data in the coming year as well, which we will use to offer innovative products for consumers,” says Eduard R. Dörrenberg, Managing Partner of Dr. Wolff Group, with an optimistic outlook to 2022.
Accordingly, trials and further research are planned in the field of medical mouth and throat cleansing, including an additional clinical trial that is to also confirm an effect against a wide variety of cold viruses and a faster recovery after corona infections. In hair loss prevention, the company expects new data on an enhanced combination of active ingredients with caffeine. In the field of dental health, scientists and research groups from various international universities are working on further research studies on hydroxyapatite.
In the pharmaceutical division, the Bielefeld-based company is also awaiting the first and, so far, only approval in Europe for a new drug against primary axillary hyperhidrosis (pathological sweating in the armpits): a 1% glycopyrronium bromide cream.
Overall, according to Dörrenberg “Dr. Wolff Group is continuously turning into a highly specialised medical and cosmetic company for products with great medical benefit. This puts us in a position to meet the ever-increasing global demand for preventive health care and increasing attractiveness.” Thus, the company sees themselves on track for success in 2022 and expects another year of strong growth – despite challenges such as in the supply chain or the regular onboarding of new employees. In addition to continuing strong growth in Asia, the company is also planning major next steps in the USA and Canada for the first time. Measures for the digitisation of the corporate group, which have been ongoing since 2014, will also be further expanded with the eWolff unit. Dr. Wolff currently employs about 800 people and now, at the beginning of 2022, is hiring for many positions.4 “But these will not remain the only challenges we will face in the coming year,” Dörrenberg predicts and also in the third year of the pandemic does not only expect a tailwind on the planned growth path.
1 – Study database on hydroxyapatite
2 – Publication on hydroxyapatite by the University of Toronto