Düsseldorf, May 9, 2014 – Bremen-born merchant, Ferdinand Heye, established a glassworks on a plot of land next to the train station in a Düsseldorf suburb called Gerresheim 150 years ago. Not many years later it had evolved into the world’s largest manufacturer of beer and water bottles. Today, the Gerresheimer Group is an internationally leading partner to the pharma and cosmetics industries. It manufactures packaging for medications and cosmetics, as well as drug delivery devices such as insulin pens and asthma inhalers. The MDAX-listed company from Düsseldorf has donated EUR 4500 to support the activities of “Förderkreises Industriepfad (FKI) Düsseldorf-Gerresheim e.V.“, which is planning several exhibitions and a publication about the Gerresheim Glassworks’ foundation year.
“We’re proud that Gerresheimer has played such an important role in Düsseldorf’s industrial scene and city history right up to the present day and we're delighted to be supporting the FKI organization’s activities,” said Jens Kürten, Director Corporate Communication & Marketing at Gerresheimer in Düsseldorf, referring to the company’s very dynamic 150-year history.
“FKI has decided to honor the 150th anniversary of the glassworks’ foundation in Gerresheim and the eventful history of the former global corporation by organizing a varied program of events. The fact that Gerresheimer AG has been so generous in its support of this project reflects a strong commitment to its history and traditional roots here at the former glassworks in Gerresheim,” said FKI Chairman Professor Niklaus Fritsche, thanking Gerresheimer.
“Gerresheimer is famous for its quality, innovation and customer centricity, and these are what unite our present-day company with Ferdinand Heye’s original business vision,” explained Jens Kürten, adding that the company is today a leading specialist for glass and plastic packaging products. It manufactures articles such as glass bottles for cough medicine, glass syringes for vaccinations, plastic bottles for nose drops, perfume bottles, asthma inhalers and insulin pens for diabetics.
In 1999 the company underwent a strategic reorientation, shifting its focus to the production of high quality packaging for medications and cosmetics and selling the original parent plant in Düsseldorf-Gerresheim to an international packaging company. Beer and water bottles were manufactured at the glassworks in Gerresheim. In 2005 the glassworks was closed down by the new owner. Gerresheimer AG today operates more than 40 production facilities and has around 11,000 employees worldwide. It is still headquartered in Düsseldorf. In mid-June the headquarters will be relocating from Düsseldorf city center to a new building at Düsseldorf‘s Airport City.
Links to further information
www.industriepfad-gerresheim.de/der-industriepfad
About Gerresheimer
Gerresheimer is a leading global partner to the pharma and healthcare industries. The company’s special glass and plastic products contribute to health and well-being. Gerresheimer is a global organization with 11,000 employees and manufacturing operations in the local markets, close to customers. It has over 40 production facilities in Europe, North and South America and Asia generating revenue in excess of EUR 1.2 billion. The comprehensive product portfolio includes pharmaceutical packaging products as well as convenient and safe drug delivery systems such as insulin pens, inhalers, pre-fillable syringes, vials, ampoules, bottles and containers for liquid and solid pharmaceuticals with closure and safety systems, plus cosmetic packaging products.
