Expansion of pharma business: Körber strengthens partnership with Franz Ziel GmbH and acquires minority share

Hamburg, 08 December 2023. The international technology group Körber signed an agreement on a close partnership and the acquisition of a minority share of the Franz Ziel GmbH. Franz Ziel offers pharmaceutical solutions and aseptic process equipment and is leading with its isolator technologies. Together with Franz Ziel’s solutions, Körber will be able to support customers in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries even better in meeting the increasing requirements in the future.

Franz Ziel's comprehensive process solutions ensure the best possible protection of products, personnel, and manufacturing environments during the production of vital medicines. The innovative systems meet the highest requirements of the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry.

“Franz Ziel’s offering is a great extension of our existing product portfolio and another important milestone on the way to our goal of offering products and solutions for customers from the pharmaceutical and biotech industry along the entire value chain from a single source,” states Erich Hoch, CTO & COO of the Körber Group. “This proves once again that Körber, with its entrepreneurial DNA, is a strong partner for technologically innovative companies.”

“With the partnership and the minority share in Franz Ziel, we are further expanding the product portfolio in a strategic area for the benefit of our customers,” adds Jörn Gossé, CEO of the Körber Business Area Pharma. “We are now in an even better position to support our customers at a significantly earlier stage within their production process when processing their pharmaceutical products.”

“We are very pleased to have Körber as a strong and reliable partner at our side and see our company well prepared for a successful and secure future,” says Olaf Ziel, CEO and owner of Franz Ziel. “The joint further development to a turnkey provider, access to the global sales and service network, the potential in the areas of digitization, Pharma 4.0, software and AI solutions, and last but not least, access to expanded production capacities were convincing arguments for entering into this partnership.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

About Körber

We are Körber – an international technology group with more than 12,000 employees at over 100 locations worldwide and a common goal: We turn entrepreneurial thinking into customer success and shape the technological change. In the Business Areas Digital, Pharma, Supply Chain, and Technologies, we offer products, solutions and services that inspire. We act fast to customer needs, we execute ideas seamlessly, and with our innovations we create added value for our customers. In doing so, we are increasingly building on ecosystems that solve the challenges of today and tomorrow. Körber AG is the holding company of the Körber Group:

www.koerber.com

About the Körber Business Area Pharma

At Business Area Pharma, we deliver the difference along the entire pharmaceutical value chain by offering a unique portfolio of integrated solutions. Based on in-depth experience spanning consulting, inspection, transport systems, packaging machines and materials, track and trace and software, we understand the challenges in pharmaceutical processes and regulation that our customers face day to day, from the beginning to the end of their production. For them, we deliver the difference to unlock the potential of global pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing.

About Franz Ziel

Franz Ziel GmbH is a family-run company supported by over 250 employees at its Billerbeck site in Germany. Franz Ziel USA Inc. as subsidiary in South Carolina ensures that our products and services are also accessible in the USA. With more than 40 years of experience, constant innovations and highly motivated professionals, our customers get tailor-made, individual solutions.

We’re among the world market leaders in the production of high-tech equipment for the manufacture and processing of sterile medicines. As such, we’re closely linked with the pharmaceutical industry, a continuously growing sector with innovative and vital remedies for all of us.