Dr. Schumacher GmbH was founded by Dr. Henning Schumacher in 1978. Today his sons Dierk and Jens are the Managing Directors, with Dierk in charge of the consumer sector and Jens responsible for the commercial medical field. Innovations are of utmost importance, such as the Cleanisept wipes forte for disinfecting ultrasound units quickly.
“Ultrasound sensors are hard to clean fast,” Jens Schumacher explains. “Our wipes are gentle and alcoholfree, and within one minute, they kill all the viruses on the unit.” Dr. Schumacher GmbH’s Ultrasol aktiv and Perfektan aktiv wipes are ideal for other medical instruments. These high-quality, quick-acting wipes are based on active oxygen. “We try to make our products as eco-friendly as possible,” he adds. Along this line, Dr. Schumacher GmbH is developing microplastics that disintegrate in water. This material will be used for moist toilet paper, to be launched later this year.
“It will biodegrade before it reaches the water treatment facility,” Dierk Schumacher points out. As one of the most innovative companies in its field, Dr. Schumacher GmbH is growing rapidly. In the consumer sector, its annual growth rates exceed 30%. “Wet wipes are very convenient, which is what consumers want,” says Dierk Schumacher. “In both areas of activity, we always have new developments.”
The company is expanding not only in products but also in staff. About 15% of its employees are in training, and nearly all of them will stay on board when they finish. “Our staff is dedicated to us and our work,” says CFO Paul Stanek. “Support comes from within.”
The company also puts down its success to its family-run structure. “We offer continuity in our strategy and personnel,” Dierk Schumacher adds. “Our competitors are constantly changing; we are simply constant.”
With exports to 68 countries, Dr. Schumacher GmbH aims for further internationalization. “We want our brand to be the number one worldwide,” Jens Schumacher says. “There are 20 new markets we would like to explore, and from there we can offer a country-specific approach.” Co-localization will be key. “We can supply an ultraconcentrate to our branches,” Dierk Schumacher explains. “They just have to mix it with very high quality water to yield the actual product. That way, we keep our know-how a secret while saving transport costs.”