Precision, Responsibility, Innovation
Since our founding in 1959 by Dr. Franz Josef Köhler, we have been a family-owned company (now in the third generation) specializing in the manufacture of high-quality pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Franz Josef Köhler
The company’s founder, Dr. Franz Josef Köhler, was a scientist with foresight. During his studies in chemistry, he worked with Professor Waldschmidt-Leitz in the United States and, from 1933 to 1937, as a research associate to Nobel laureate Professor Richard Kuhn at what was then the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Heidelberg, among other places.
He recognized the importance of electrolytes and trace elements for biokinetic processes early on. These insights formed the basis for his later research and the development of aspartate therapy.
Dr. Franz Josef Köhler was a pioneer of his time—the founder of aspartate therapy and the developer of organ-protective solutions. These early milestones continue shaping our company’s history even today.
The first laboratory was established back in 1952 in Alsbach on Bergstraße in connection with the founding of the German branch of CILAG AG (Switzerland). This was followed in 1959 by the founding of Dr. Franz Köhler Chemie GmbH, to which Dr. Köhler devoted himself entirely starting in 1964.
Growth and Development
The experimental and clinical studies initiated in the following years confirmed Dr. Köhler’s basic hypothesis: Magnesium plays a key role in numerous metabolic processes. Based on this belief, the company developed its own medications, including combinations of electrolytes, trace elements, and aspartic acid.
In 1984, Dr. Gernot Köhler took over the leadership of the company. He consistently expanded the research, analytical work, and product development divisions at the Alsbach site and played a key role in driving the company’s expansion. At the same time, several additions to the company’s premises took place.
The construction of the first production facility in Bensheim in 1990 marked another significant step in the company’s development. Production began there in 1991, and the facility became an important milestone in the company’s history. Since 2009, the company’s headquarters has also been located in Bensheim.
With the rising demand for CUSTODIOL®, additional capacity was needed. In 2013, ground was broken for a second production facility in Bensheim. Since 2015, this production line has been used specifically and exclusively for the production of CUSTODIOL®.
Dr. Gernot Köhler
Dr. Gernot Köhler began his career at the family-owned company in 1971 as a working student and played a key role in shaping the development of Köhler Chemie over five decades. After earning his doctorate, he joined the company full-time in 1979 and took over as CEO in 1984.
From 1984 to 1997, he led the company together with his mother, Lieselotte Köhler, who—with her great business acumen, personal dedication, and entrepreneurial reliability—made a decisive contribution to the company’s stabilization and sustainable growth.
Under their joint leadership—and later under the sole responsibility of Dr. Gernot Köhler—the company evolved from a domestic manufacturer into an international enterprise, with over 60 distribution partners worldwide today. Strategic foresight, a spirit of innovation, and his personal motto—“Standing still is moving backward”—shaped his actions as well as his social commitment.
Dr. Gernot Köhler has been retired since 2026. His legacy—along with the formative contribution of Lieselotte Köhler—remains firmly entrenched in the company’s identity to this day. The management team extends its heartfelt thanks for 55 years of extraordinary dedication to Dr. Franz Köhler Chemie GmbH.
Our Vision
As a family-owned company based in Hesse, we stand for continuity, responsibility, and quality.
Our founder’s vision and commitment continue to this day—guided by the motto:
“Your Dedicated Partner in Saving Lives”
This is more than just a slogan. It is the very foundation of everything we have ever done—for three generations.