Skip to main content
< Back to news
Víctor Vallés, Founder and CEO of Vesismin Health (Photo: Vesismin Health).
 12.09.2022

Schülke & Mayr GmbH acquires Spanish company Vesismin Health

Schülke & Mayr GmbH, a leading global provider in the fields of infection prevention and hygiene solutions in healthcare, acquires Vesismin Health, based in the Barcelona Science Park. The Spanish company was founded in 2004 as a project within the IQS university center by entrepreneur Víctor Vallés. Since then, its main goal is the close collaboration with healthcare centres in their fight to face healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) by providing effective, innovative disinfection solutions.

Vesismin‘s mission – which is a perfect match to the Schülke mission ’we protect lives worldwide’ – is to develop and promote innovative disinfectants, with a proven specialization in hospital infection control. The company has seen double-digit growth, with average annual growth (CAGR) of 27% for the past 5 years. Its turnover for 2021 was nearly €12 million, 30% of which was from exports to 45 countries, including France, Poland, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Romania and the Dominican Republic, among others. They also kicked off a plan to attract talent, which increased their team by 29%.

Schülke has been a global leader in infection prevention and hygiene control for more than 130 years. The German group already has more than 1,100 dedicated employees, over 20 subsidiaries and three production sites in Germany (schülke), France (Bioxal) and Brazil (Vic Pharma). People in more than 80 countries around the world rely on Schülke’s infection prevention and hygiene solutions every day. Following the acquisition of the Danish company Wet Wipe A/S in early July 2022 and the associated expansion into the Scandinavian market, Schülke is now further extending its reach as well as its product portfolio in Southern Europe.

Stefan Kukacka, CEO of Schülke. Photo: Schülke.

Stefan Kukacka, CEO of Schülke, explains: “The acquisition once again underlines our ambitious growth strategy and our mission ‘to protect lives worldwide’. With Vesismin Health, we are expanding the Schülke Group with a high-profile company for infection prevention and hygiene solutions in healthcare. Based on Vesismin Health’s expertise in formulations with the active ingredient chlorhexidine, we will together create a center of excellence for chlorhexidine-based products. We are very much looking forward to working together and sharing our experiences and joint innovations!”

Víctor Vallés, founder and CEO of Vesismin Health: “We are very pleased to become part of the Schülke Group, which has long-standing experience as a global supplier in the field of infection prevention and hygiene solutions. This union strengthens our position, broadens our current product range and turns us into the supplier with the most extensive range of infection prevention products. The agreement with the Schülke Group will permit us to further develop our expertise in chlorhexidine-based products, as well as to continue to maintain our profile as an innovative company. Vesismin Health will continue as an independent company within the group and will maintain its current team of professionals. This collaboration will allow us to grow both in the Spanish market and in other markets, and to take another step forward in our commitment and our raison d’être: the daily fight against hospital-acquired infections.”

Vesismin Health was founded in Barcelona in 2004 as a project within the IQS university center by entrepreneur Víctor Vallés. Since then, the company’s main goal is the close collaboration with healthcare centres in their fight to face HAI by providing effective, innovative disinfection solutions. The company is currently present at over 400 hospitals in Spain and is expanding into other markets such as pharmaceuticals.

Vesismin was the first lab to formulate and launch orange chlorhexidine, in 2012, as an alternative to povidone-iodine to facilitate antisepsis of the surgical field and reduce infections. The company was also a pioneer in introducing and changing the habits of healthcare professionals regarding single-use wipes, both for disinfecting skin and instruments, making disinfection easier and more hygienic. In addition, the company offers with Vesismin UV a technology that provides advanced disinfection with ultraviolet light.

Vesismin UV incorporates the most advanced technology and intelligent structural design to guarantee safe, simple and efficient use. Photo: Vesismin Health.