Droege International Group

What Droege International Group does

Droege International Group (operating as Droege Group AG) is a Düsseldorf-based, family-owned investment and consulting house founded in 1988 that deploys its own equity capital through a "Buy & Build & Operate" model into "Special Opportunities" — typically mid-sized companies and corporate spin-offs in need of capital and operational transformation. The group operates as a permanent-capital "Family Equity" evergreen holding rather than a fund-based private equity manager, with portfolio companies spanning IT distribution, specialty pharmaceuticals, CDMO biopharma, medical technology, retail, and BPO services.

The largest operating asset is ALSO Holding AG (SIX: ALSN), in which Droege holds approximately 50%+, generating €6.9 billion in H1 2025 revenue (up 35% YoY) and €126 million EBITDA across 30 European countries via Supply, Solutions, and Service business models. ALSO's core platform is the ALSO Cloud Marketplace (ACMP), a digital commerce and subscription platform serving ~120,000 resellers and 700+ vendors across 1,500+ product categories, with cloud, cybersecurity, IoT, 3D printing, and — most recently — agent-based AI capabilities delivered through the AI Elite Partner Program. The healthcare vertical is anchored by wholly-owned HAL Allergy Group (allergen immunotherapy, SCIT/SLIT, biological therapies, diagnostics, 60+ years of expertise) and HALIX B.V. (CDMO for viral vectors with a 6,700 m² BSL2 GMP facility in Leiden). Other wholly-owned subsidiaries include Servona Group (medical technology), Weltbild Gruppe (book retail), Trenkwalder (BPO), and Tausendkind.

The group makes money primarily through equity returns from its portfolio companies — specifically through dividends from its ~50% stake in the publicly listed ALSO, through wholly-owned subsidiaries' operating earnings (HAL Allergy, HALIX, Servona, Weltbild, Trenkwalder), and through value creation via buy-and-build operational improvements. ALSO's revenue model combines transactional hardware/software distribution (Supply), customized IT solutions (Solutions), and subscription-based cloud, cybersecurity, and AI services (Service). Customer segments are highly diversified: ~120,000 SMB-focused resellers, healthcare providers via purchasing cooperatives (e.g., P.E.G. eG's 600+ members managing 3,300 facilities), and B2B CDMO clients in pharma and academia.

Name

Droege International Group

Legal name

Droege Group AG

Website

https://droege-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Droege International Group is a Düsseldorf-based, family-owned investment and consulting house founded in 1988 that deploys permanent equity capital into mid-sized companies through a Buy & Build & Operate model. Its portfolio spans IT distribution (majority-owned ALSO Holding AG), specialty pharma (HAL Allergy), CDMO biopharma (HALIX), medical technology, retail, and BPO services across 30 European countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns and Portfolio Company Earnings: Droege Group generates returns through equity investments in portfolio companies, buy-and-build strategies, and operational value creation in special situations investments.
2. ALSO Technology Distribution: ALSO generates revenue through three business models: Supply (transactional hardware/software distribution), Solutions (customized IT solutions), and Service (subscription-based cloud offerings, cybersecurity, virtualization, AI platforms). Revenue stream includes ~6.9 billion EUR (H1 2025) from technology distribution across 30 European countries.
3. HAL Allergy Pharmaceutical Products: HAL Allergy generates revenue from allergen immunotherapy products (SCIT and SLIT), diagnostics, and biological therapies for allergies. Revenue supported by partnerships and distribution networks across Europe.
4. CDMO Manufacturing Services: HALIX provides contract manufacturing services for biopharmaceutical products, including viral vectors for clinical trials and commercial production, operating GMP-certified facilities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Droege Group is a family-owned investment and consulting house that invests its own equity capital in "Special Opportunities" through a "Buy & Build & Operate" approach. It holds majority/wholly-owned stakes in operating subsidiaries spanning IT technology distribution (ALSO Holding AG), specialty pharmaceuticals (HAL Allergy), biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing (HALIX), medical technology (Servona Group), book retail (Weltbild), and BPO services (Trenkwalder).

Product overview

Droege International Group operates as a family-owned investment and consulting house that manages a diversified portfolio of companies across technology, healthcare, and specialty sectors. The portfolio companies include ALSO (IT technology provider/distributor), HAL Allergy (specialty pharmaceuticals), and HALIX (contract manufacturing). ALSO functions as the core technology platform offering cloud marketplace, AI solutions, cybersecurity, IoT, and 3D printing through its Supply, Solutions, and Service business models. HAL Allergy provides allergen immunotherapy (SCIT/SLIT), biological therapies, and diagnostics for allergies. HALIX offers GMP manufacturing services for viral vectors and biopharmaceuticals. The group follows a megatrend-oriented portfolio strategy focused on knowledge, connectivity, prevention, demography, specialization, future work, and Shopping 4.0.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Droege Group Investment & Advisory Services
• ALSO Technology Distribution Platform
• ALSO Cloud Marketplace (ACMP)
• HAL Allergy Immunotherapy Products
• HALIX CDMO Manufacturing Services

Quantifiable outcome

• ALSO achieved 34% EBITDA growth to EUR 126 million in H1 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

AI capability11 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ALSO Holding AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Droege Group holds approximately 50% of ALSO Holding AG (SIX: ALSN), a leading European technology provider. ALSO operates as the primary platform in Droege Group's portfolio, generating significant revenue and operating across 30 European countries with a network of 120,000+ resellers.
• Advanz PharmacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026HAL Allergy and Advanz Pharma formed a multi-year strategic sales partnership in dermatology, pneumology, and allergology. The partnership combines biosimilar expertise with strong specialist physician presence to expand access to modern biosimilars in Europe.
• Westcoast LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2024ALSO partnered with Westcoast, the UK's largest IT distributor with GBP 4.2 billion revenue in 2023. The partnership covers Westcoast's activities in the UK, Ireland, and France, strengthening ALSO's position as Europe's leading technology provider.
• LubrizolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 April 2020ALSO distributes Lubrizol's ESTANE 3D TPU M95A materials for HP Jet Fusion 3D printers, serving applications in footwear, prosthetics, wearables, and automotive industries.
• University of Oxford Jenner InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2020HALIX joined a consortium led by the University of Oxford's Jenner Institute to provide GMP manufacturing services for COVID-19 vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) clinical trial material production at scale.
• Allied TelesisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 April 2020ALSO and Allied Telesis expanded their partnership to European level. Allied Telesis provides network solutions for critical infrastructure, healthcare, education, and building automation, distributed through ALSO's channel network.
• P.E.G. eGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 April 2020ALSO partnered with P.E.G. eG, a leading healthcare purchasing cooperative with 600+ owner-members managing 3,300 healthcare facilities, to provide as-a-Service IT solutions through the ALSO Cloud Marketplace.
• BASF Forward AMminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 February 2020ALSO distributes BASF's Ultrasint TPU01 3D printing materials for HP Jet Fusion printers across Europe, expanding the 3D printing portfolio for industrial manufacturing applications.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mutares SE & Co. KGaA: Frankfurt-listed German mid-market investor focused on special situations and corporate carve-outs. Highly comparable to Droege's stated 'Special Opportunities' Buy & Build & Operate mandate, with a similarly concentrated European mid-market deal focus.
• Paragon Partners: Germany-based mid-market investor pursuing Buy & Build in the Mittelstand segment. Comparable in target size and Buy & Build orientation to Droege, though structured as a more traditional fund manager than a family equity vehicle.
• Haniel Group: Diversified German family-owned industrial holding with a similar long-term shareholder base and portfolio approach. Both Droege and Haniel are family-controlled German groups investing permanent equity in operating businesses across logistics, healthcare-adjacent and industrial sectors.
• Adcuram Group: Munich-based family-influenced investor focused on mid-sized German Mittelstand carve-outs and operational value creation. Mirrors Droege's Family Equity approach with a Buy & Build thesis on hidden-champion industrial assets.
• Tengelmann Group: Family-owned German holding company with a diversified operating portfolio across retail, real estate and operations. Comparable to Droege as a fully family-controlled multi-sector holding using patient capital to build and operate companies rather than traditional fund-based PE.
• ATON Group: Family-owned European industrial holding investing permanent capital in operating businesses across multiple sectors. Comparable to Droege in both ownership structure and long-term Buy & Hold / Build approach.
• Aurelius Equity Opportunities: European mid-market investor specializing in special situations, corporate carve-outs and complex transformations. Closely matches Droege's stated Special Opportunities mandate and operationally focused value-add approach.

Broad incumbents

• Körber Group: Family-owned German industrial holding with diversified operating businesses across pharma, tissue, supply chain and digital. Larger and more operationally diversified than Droege, but a close cultural analog in family-controlled German holding/operating model.
• Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG): Frankfurt-listed German private equity firm focused on mid-market Mittelstand Buy & Build. Strong operational analog to Droege's mid-sized German company focus, though a more institutionalized fund model.

Regional players

• Indutrade AB: Swedish decentralized industrial holding that acquires and operates niche technology/industrial businesses. Comparable in decentralized Buy & Build + Operate model to Droege's portfolio platform logic, though primarily Nordic and publicly listed.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/droege-group?trk=biz-companies-cym

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Droege International Group