Our history

Foundation of the Hirsch Pharmacy in Frankfurt am Main. The Fresenius family assumes ownership in the 18th century.

Dr. Eduard Fresenius, pharmacist and proprietor of the Hirsch Pharmacy commences the production of pharmaceuticals.

The manufacturing company is separated from the Hirsch Pharmacy and moves to Bad Homburg.

Else Fernau, later Else Kröner, takes over the responsibility for the pharmacy and company after she has obtained her degree in pharmacy studies.

Fresenius starts to sell dialysis machines and dialyzers manufactured by various foreign companies and gains substantial market shares.

Fresenius starts to manufacture infusion solutions and medical disposables in St. Wendel, Germany. Today, Fresenius Medical Care produces highly innovative Polysulfone dialyzers in St. Wendel.

In a newly acquired factory in Schweinfurt, Germany, the production of the A2008 dialysis machine begins. The new machine was very successful, and awarded a gold medal for technological innovation at the Leipzig Trade Fair.

The first peritoneal dialysis solution bags were manufactured in St. Wendel, when the system consisted of only one bag including the so-called Safe●Lock ^® connector that gave the Safe●Lock ^® standard system its name.

The Company takes up the production of synthetic polysulfone fiber membranes for blood purification. These membranes today set the quality standards for dialyzers.

PD Plus, an automated PD therapy option offers a mid-day exchange to enhance the therapy delivered to peritoneal dialysis patients without the need for additional supplies.

Biofine ^® is a PVC-free material which has been developed in St. Wendel. Being free from plasticizers it provides advantages for patients and the environment. Biofine ^® is thinner than comparable PVC foil and cheaper to produce.

Fresenius Medical Care is founded from a merger of Fresenius Worldwide Dialysis and National Medical Care. The company’s shares are listed at the stock exchanges in Frankfurt and New York.

The 100,000th^th dialysis machine comes off the production line. Fresenius Medical Cares’ ordinary share is admitted to the DAX, Germany’s blue-chip share index.

Fresenius Medical Care is the leading dialysis company caring for more than 119,000 patients in own dialysis centers worldwide. With a production output of more than 50 million dialyzers per year the company sets a new record.

The new dialysis therapy system 5008 is introduced in the market and wins the prize “Innovationspreis der Deutschen Wirtschaft”.

Fresenius Medical Care acquired the U.S. dialysis care provider Renal Care Group, Inc. Through its network of around 2.000 dialysis clinics around the world the company provides dialysis treatments to approximately 157,000 patients.

Fresenius Medical Care also transforms its legal form into KGaA.

Fresenius Medical Care continues its success as the leading manufacturer of dialyzers, producing its 500,000,000^th dialyzer.

Foundation of a joint venture to develop and sell drugs for patients with chronic kidney disease.

The worldwide expansion of the service business continues by acquiring IDC, Liberty Dialysis Holdings Inc. and American Access Care.

Fresenius Medical Care produces the 500,000th^th dialysis machine.

Fresenius Medical Care produces the 1,000,000,000^th dialyzer.

A new generation of home dialysis cyclers is launched – sleep•safe harmony – enabling most individualized treatment options with adapted APD (aAPD) therapy.

Launch of the 6008 CAREsystem, a new hemodialysis therapy system, that delivers advanced dialysis therapy more easily, leaving more time for direct patient care.

Fresenius Medical Care launches the 4008A dialysis machine tailored to needs in emerging markets.

By acquiring NxStage Medical, Inc., Fresenius Medical Care expands its product portfolio with an innovative technology for home dialysis offering patients greater flexibility.

Launch of the Global Sustainability Program that will enable us to step up our efforts to integrate sustainability into our business over the next years.

Production of the 2-billionth dialyzer – just seven years after the production of the 1-billionth.