COMPANY HISTORY

delta pronatura views change as opportunity. This has enabled us to develop a real passion for innovation and progress. Reflected in our company origins that began in a Berlin pharmacy, the former “DDD Laboratory and Sales” concern has successively transformed into a group of companies thanks to our intuitive feel for people and their needs. delta pronatura combines the best of both worlds: a globally operating branded company and owner-managed family business that continues to evolve dynamically.

COMPANY
HISTORY

delta pronatura views change as opportunity. This has enabled us to develop a real passion for innovation and progress. Reflected in our company origins that began in a Berlin pharmacy, the former “DDD Laboratory and Sales” concern has successively transformed into a group of companies thanks to our intuitive feel for people and their needs. delta pronatura combines the best of both worlds: a globally operating branded company and owner-managed family business that continues to evolve dynamically.

The 2020s – Digital, sustainable and cutting-edge

2023

We are on course for further expansion at delta pronatura – with a clear emphasis on sustainability: Developing new products to preserve the value of clothes and appliances over the long term. Our investments ensure long-term growth. And this is why we are constantly expanding our Egelsbach headquarters, modernising via digitalisation and providing our teams with the freedom to see the bigger picture.

2022

„Magic Leaves“ – Entry into the high-volume detergent market with an innovative and sustainable solution in the washing sector.

2021

delta pronatura decides to voluntarily prepare and publish the report on the German Sustainability Code every 2 years.

The 00s und 10s – Winds of change and growth over 75 years

2019

Our subsidiary Team4Innovation was founded. Experts from the consumer goods industry, specialised in innovation within the retail and luxury brands sector, started working closely with drugstores and retailers throughout Europe.

2018

Our UK joint venture that began in 1995 has demonstrated a clear commitment to the UK market and staff achievements in Bolton: Both the British distribution company Acdoco and production company Acdopro are now fully affiliated with delta pronatura.

2017

Founding our subsidiary delta pronatura France S.A.S. in Bordeaux has strengthened our proximity to the French market that we have been supplying via distributors since 2008.

2016

Nils Beckmann, economist and Heiner Beckmann’s son, climbed aboard to reinforce the fourth generation of corporate governance.

Acquisition of Jacobi Pharma-Service, Heppenheim. The company, founded in 1984 by a two-man band, has been producing our Bullrich tablets in one of the plants we built. The growing demand for Bullrich and its contract-manufactured homeopathic tablets enabled the number of staff to increase to more than two dozen.

2015

Our new subsidiary in Mexico City began supplying the whole of Latin America with customised Dr.Beckmann products.

2014

Distribution company delta pronatura AG Switzerland was founded in Muttenz.

2013

Our long-standing activities in the Middle and Far East led to the establishment of our Nanjing subsidiary in China.

Honorary winners of the “Hessian Export Prize” for more than 35 years of continuous overseas operations: Our “clear strategy and goals” responsible for “creating our success story with the help of many smaller components”, clinched the award in the “Innovative Export Strategy” category.

2011

Our contribution to skincare: Further brand development planned on taking over distribution of the South African brand Bi-Oil in Germany and Austria.

2009

75th Anniversary of delta pronatura – Celebrating its successful journey in style with the whole delta family.

2006

Dr. Beckmann embraced Poland: Start of our joint venture with Werner & Mertz Polska in Warsaw.

2001

Relocation to Egelsbach: The capacity of our three production sites in Neu-Isenburg had been pushed to the limit. A completely new production facility was built in Egelsbach, where we relocated the entire company – and remain to this day.

Gerhard Krauss, economist and grandson of the company founder, took over as managing director from his father Dr. Theo Krauss, running the family business together with Heiner Beckmann.

2000

Vertical take-off in Austria: Our sales figures for Dr. Beckmann products rocketed on founding our Vienna subsidiary, delta pronatura Handels GmbH. Demand for Blistex and Bullrich quickly gained ground under the leadership of Heidi Harbeck.

The 80s and 90s - Environmental protection, Globalisation and a cult brand

1994

Bridging the Atlantic: Our newly founded subsidiary Delta Carbona officially marked our foothold in the US market.

1991

Introduction of Dr. Beckmann household cleaning agents for kitchen and bathrooms. Dr. Beckmann was evolving as an umbrella brand for laundry and household products.

1989

Delta-Chemie purchased ProNatura GmbH. We became delta pronatura, our company name highlighting the long-overdue move away from chemicals towards the most environmentally friendly products possible.

1986

Umbrella brand Dr. Beckmann was born, initially encompassing all kinds of laundry products. The uniform packaging design and distinctive blue oval logo accelerated its ascent to international flagship brand.

1982

Ban on phosphates in laundry detergents due to concern about algae-infested rivers and seas. Our answer was Dr. Beckmann Stain Salt, which removes dirt with an oxygen-based formula and ensures clean machine-washed laundry.

European interest in Stain Devils and Dr. Beckmann began to grow. Our distribution partner Piresma made Finland our first non-German-speaking export country. “TahraSuola FläckSalt” became a hit in no time and is even available at petrol stations today in the most remote areas. Overseas operations in Italy and Holland followed suit.

We purchased the cult brand “Bullrich”. Invented in 1827, the therapeutic agent for stomach complaints and indigestion represents one of the oldest German brands. Offering a range of new products, it gradually developed into a modern healthcare brand.

The 60s and 70s - Hitting the country road, good clean devils and kissable lips

1974

Heiner Beckmann, pharmacist and son of Klaus Beckmann joined the management board and was convinced even then that special products would conquer global markets.

1973

We took over German distribution of the successful US lip care brand Blistex.

1971

Businesswomen leading the way: By purchasing the “Offenbacher Stain Devils” from Baumbach-Chemie, we were now entering the laundry and household cleaning market with our new company name: Delta-Chemie.

Gerhard Krauss retired after 37 years at the head of the company. He passed the leadership baton on to his son Dr Theo Krauss and his son-in-law Dr. Klaus Beckmann.

1963

Our Frankfurt site was becoming overcrowded with no room left for further expansion. Production and distribution were shifted to Neu-Isenburg.

The 40s and 50s - Hard times, leaving the bunkers of Berlin and Frankfurt for the real world

1958

“DDD Laboratory and Sales” became the new Delta-Vertrieb company, the Greek letter delta used to highlight the classical, humanistic education of the owners, as well as the original brand DDD.

1952

Dr Theo Krauss. Pharmacist and son of Gerhard Krauss joined the management board.

1948-51

The Berlin Blockade through the Soviet-occupied zone made distributing from West Berlin impossible. We found a way around it by relocating to a site on the Main river, which later became our company headquarters: first in an abandoned bunker in Offenbach, before later moving to a new building in Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen.

1942

Pharmacist Dr. Klaus Beckmann married Gerhard Krauss’ oldest daughter Dorle and on joining the management board, introduced the Beckmann family to the company.

Won the battle for raw materials – that were rationed during the war – to produce skin lotion DDD: Production was able to continue.

The 30s - The early years in Berlin

01.04.1934

How we began: Gerhard Krauss took over Schäfer’s Pharmacy in Berlin including the production and distribution of DDD skin lotion invented by the American dermatologist Dr Davies Dennis.