Rowa Technologies

What Rowa Technologies does

Rowa Technologies operates in the market as BD Rowa and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Becton Dickinson and Company (NYSE: BDX), headquartered in Kelberg, Germany, with an engineering presence in Frankfurt and regional sales offices across Latin America (Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Mexico City) and additional European markets (Italy, UK, Netherlands, Sweden). The company was founded in 1998 and pioneered the automated pharmacy picking robot; today it employs roughly 800 people worldwide and supports more than 15,000 installations across 60 countries. Its core product line comprises the BD Rowa Vmax (customizable high-capacity picking automaton), BD Rowa Smart (standardized automation for any pharmacy), BD Rowa Dose (patient-individual blister packaging), and a surrounding ecosystem of loaders (EasyLoad, ProLog), digital sales tools (Vmotion screens, Pickup terminals), transport modules (Order Buffer, Crate, conveyors, EasyTransport), and control software (Smart Link) anchored by the proprietary WWKS 2 ERP interface.

BD Rowa sells primarily through enterprise field sales with on-site consultation, customized quoting, and 3D visualization, complemented by a customer portal, webshop, and learning center. Revenue is generated from one-time hardware sales, recurring service contracts with sub-4-hour on-site response and proactive monitoring, and subscription-style software and digital advertising (Vmotion cloud). Customer segments include independent and chain pharmacies (the primary segment), pharmaceutical wholesalers (Alliance Healthcare, Farla), blister centers, hospital pharmacies (Universitätsmedizin Mainz), veterinary clinics, plus adjacent uses in cosmetics, optical, and acoustic retail. With 80+ registered patents, a 99.9% measured reliability rate on 14,000 installed systems, and the 2024 Apotheken Favorit award (48% of votes from 540 pharmacy owners), the company has built a category-defining position in pharmacy automation while remaining embedded within a much larger global medical-technology parent.

Name

Rowa Technologies

Legal name

Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH

Website

https://rowa.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

BD Rowa (Rowa Technologies) is a Becton Dickinson subsidiary that designs and manufactures automated pharmacy picking robots, blister packaging systems, and dispensing software for pharmacies, wholesalers, hospitals, blister centers, and veterinary clinics across 60 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmacy Automation Systems

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (8112)

SIC

Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Medication Inventory, Procurement & Supply Chain (Pharmacy) (HLACAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Medical-Grade Device Connectivity & Device Management (MDM) (HLACAFAG)

Keywords

• Pharmacy automation systems
• Automated medication dispensing
• Blister packaging machines
• Pharmaceutical intralogistics
• Picking robots

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Albans

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Automated Dispensing Hardware Sales: One-time sales of automated dispensing robots (Vmax, Smart, Dose), conveyor systems, and related equipment. Systems are configured to individual customer requirements and installed on-site.
2. Service and Maintenance Contracts: Service contracts covering all technical innovations. Response time on-site is less than four hours. Includes proactive system monitoring to identify problems before they occur.
3. Software and Control Systems: Proprietary control software and Smart Link systems for warehouse management integration.
4. Cloud Solutions and Digital Advertising: Cloud-based content management for digital displays (Vmotion screens) enabling pharmaceutical manufacturer advertising placement in pharmacy environments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rowa Technologies (BD Rowa) manufactures and sells automated pharmacy picking robots and intralogistics systems for healthcare providers. Core products include the BD Rowa Vmax high-capacity customizable picking automaton, BD Rowa Smart standardized picking robot, and BD Rowa Dose patient-individual blister packaging system, complemented by automated loading equipment, conveyor systems, digital sales screens, and self-service pickup terminals installed across 60 countries.

Product overview

Rowa Technologies (BD Rowa) offers a comprehensive portfolio of pharmacy automation solutions 'Made in Germany'. The core product line centers on automated picking robots: the BD Rowa™ Vmax (customizable high-capacity model), BD Rowa™ Smart (standardized model for every pharmacy), and BD Rowa™ EasyLoad (automated loading system). These are complemented by digital sales solutions (BD Rowa™ Vmotion screens, BD Rowa™ Pickup terminals) and the BD Rowa™ Dose blister packaging system for patient-individual medication. Supporting infrastructure includes conveyor systems (BD Rowa™ Conveyor, BD Rowa™ Order Buffer, BD Rowa™ Crate & Roll Conveyor), control software (BD Rowa™ Smart Link), and the modular BD Rowa™ EasyTransport intralogistics kit. The company also offers ApoTune™ Drive (via partnership with Apotune GmbH) for delivery route optimization. Solutions serve pharmacies, hospitals, pharmaceutical wholesale, blister centers, and veterinary practices across 60 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BD Rowa Vmax: Customized automated dispensing robot available in various configurations, flexible in width, height and length. Also special designs for challenging spaces.
• BD Rowa Smart
• BD Rowa EasyLoad
• BD Rowa Vmotion
• BD Rowa Pickup
• BD Rowa Dose
• BD Rowa ProLog
• BD Rowa Order Buffer
• BD Rowa Crate
• BD Rowa Smart Link

Products and services

• BD Rowa™ Vmax Customizable high-capacity picking automaton and automated storage and retrieval system for pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, hospitals, and blister centers. Available in multiple configurations with flexible width, height, and length, including special designs for tight spaces and cold storage environments.
• BD Rowa™ Smart Standardized automated picking robot for pharmacies offering automation at attractive pricing with daily time savings of up to 6 hours and 99.9% reliability. New generation features natural materials, climate-friendly production, and intuitive interface.
• BD Rowa™ Dose Patient-individual medication blistering system packaging medications into sealed tube sachets for nursing homes and home care. Features very low error rates, bidirectional interface for third-party system integration, and compostable film options certified for home composting.
• BD Rowa™ Pickup Automated collection terminal enabling self-determined, contactless pickup of pre-ordered medications inside or outside pharmacy premises, including outside opening hours. Supports E-Rezept (electronic prescription) workflows with patent-protected pickup management.
• BD Rowa™ Vmotion Digital sales solution providing interactive customer engagement screens in the pharmacy. Cloud-based content management enables pharmaceutical manufacturer advertising placement with pre-made templates and digital window displays.
• BD Rowa™ EasyLoad Fully automated loading system that captures batch and pharmaceutical central numbers from medication packaging for complete traceability, while scanning individual expiration dates to optimize retrieval order.
• BD Rowa Service and Maintenance Contracts Service contracts covering all technical innovations with on-site response time under 4 hours. Includes proactive system monitoring to identify problems before they occur and ensures access to technical updates and innovations across the installed base.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% less time spent searching for products
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SSI SchäfercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2025Long-standing partnership since 2015, extended for 3 years with option to continue until 2030. Joint solution for healthcare sector combining BD Rowa's Vmax picking automata with SSI Schäfer's scalable order buffer systems for pharmaceutical wholesalers, mail-order providers, and logistics service providers. Integration with WAMAS warehouse management system.
• Apotune GmbHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCooperation partner for ApoTune Drive product - a complete solution for delivery route planning across branches including live tracking and temperature monitoring. BD Rowa markets the product in cooperation with Apotune.
• CielominorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal service provider for recruitment processing, handling application documents as part of pre-contractual measures for employment.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Omnicell: US-listed leader in medication management solutions for pharmacies and hospitals. Directly competes with BD Rowa in automated dispensing, central pharmacy automation, and blister packaging, serving similar pharmacy and hospital customers globally.
• ARxIUM: North American pharmacy automation provider offering central pharmacy, hospital, and retail pharmacy workflow solutions. Competes with BD Rowa Vmax in hospital pharmacy and wholesale segments.
• Willach Pharmacy Solutions (Consis): German-headquartered pharmacy automation competitor offering Consis robotic dispensing systems for community pharmacies. Most direct European head-to-head rival with overlapping DACH customer base and comparable product positioning.
• ScriptPro: US-based pharmacy robotics and workflow solutions company. Competes with BD Rowa Smart in community pharmacy automation with comparable dispensing and inventory management offerings.
• Swisslog Healthcare: Part of KUKA, provides pharmacy and hospital automation including PillPick and AutoPhial. Competes with BD Rowa in hospital pharmacy automation and centralized unit-dose packaging segments.
• Capsa Healthcare: US-based provider of medication management and pharmacy automation including Kirby Lester counters and NexsysADC. Overlaps with Rowa in pharmacy workflow automation and hospital pharmacy solutions.
• Yuyama: Japanese manufacturer of pharmacy automation equipment including dispensing systems and blister packagers. Competes with BD Rowa Dose in blister packaging and with Vmax/Smart in dispensing, particularly across Asian markets.

Broad incumbents

• Becton Dickinson (BD): Parent company of BD Rowa and broader medical technology conglomerate. While Rowa sits within BD's portfolio, BD's wider Medication Management Solutions business and Pyxis dispensing products compete in adjacent pharmacy automation categories.

Emerging players

• KLS Pharma Robotics: German-headquartered pharmacy automation specialist with smaller installed base than BD Rowa. Competes primarily in DACH pharmacy market with comparable robotic dispensing technology.

Others

• SSI Schäfer: Strategic partner rather than direct competitor; provides intralogistics and WAMAS warehouse management. Together the companies target pharmaceutical wholesalers, but SSI Schäfer's broader automation portfolio overlaps with Rowa in adjacent warehouse execution categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/bdrowa
• Facebookfacebook.com/BDRowaUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bd-rowa-germany-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/bd_rowa_germany
• Xx.com/BDRowaUK

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rowa Technologies