WAK-Chemie Medical

What WAK-Chemie Medical does

WAK-Chemie Medical GmbH is a privately held German specialty manufacturer of medical devices and life science consumables, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Steinbach/Ts., Germany. The company produces EU-registered medical device products (under Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC) including cryopreservatives (CryoSure-DMSO, CryoSure-DEX40) for cell, cord blood, and tissue storage; CE-marked freezing bags (CryoClose) and overwrap bags for cryogenic storage down to -196°C; cell sedimentation aids (SedimSure); and stainless steel/aluminum cryogenic storage cassettes and racks. Operations are governed by EN ISO 13485:2016 and DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 quality systems, with raw materials meeting USP grade under cGMP and ICH Q7A, and finished products tested against European and United States Pharmacopeia for sterility, pyrogens, endotoxins, mycoplasma, and vitality.

The company's product portfolio extends beyond cryopreservation into contamination control (ConTaFree line: Biocidal ZF disinfectant, AquaClean and Acryl AquaClean antimicrobial additives for heating bath fluids), OEM cleaning agents for liquid handling robotics and analyzers (SystemClean SpeedFlush acidic daily cleaner and Alkaline Forte weekly cleaner), molecular biology reagents (RNAzol RT/BD, TRI Reagent family, DNAzol family, Bactozol kit for single-step RNA, DNA, and protein isolation), histological marking colors, and PerfectWestern containers distributed via GenHunter for Western blot processing. Products are formulated for specific use cases including non-foaming, rapid-rinsing cleaning with 1-3 cycle flushing, and visual contamination detection via blue color indicator.

WAK-Chemie Medical operates a direct-to-customer B2B model with global shipping, accepting orders via phone, fax, email, and mail; payment via VISA, MasterCard, purchase orders, company checks, and bank transfers. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer segments span medical and life sciences laboratories (primary), OEM manufacturers of liquid transfer robotics, molecular biology researchers, and histology/pathology laboratories. The company is led by Managing Director Dr. rer. nat. Walter Pobitschka and Medical Director Dr. med. Florian Pobitschka, and operates with 11-50 employees from a single German site.

Name

WAK-Chemie Medical

Legal name

WAK-Chemie Medical GmbH

Website

https://wak-chemie.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WAK-Chemie Medical GmbH is a German specialty manufacturer, founded 1985, producing EU-registered medical device cryopreservatives, freezing bags, contamination control products, OEM cleaning agents, and molecular biology reagents for laboratories, OEM instrumentation clients, and researchers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Laboratory Reagents and Consumables

NAICS

Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing (326111)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Sample Preparation, Storage & Cryogenics (Freezers, Cryovials, Cryostats) (HLAGAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pharmaceutical & Medical Plastic Packaging Manufacturing (IMANAEAK), Packaging, Insulation & Temperature-Controlled Shippers (Qualified Systems) (HLAGAMAF)

Keywords

• Cryopreservation reagents
• Medical device cryopreservation
• Cell culture contamination control
• Molecular biology reagents
• OEM cleaning agents

Headquarters

HQ city

Steinbach Am Taunus

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Medical Device Products: Sale of cryopreservatives (CryoSure-DMSO, CryoSure-DEX), freezing bags (CryoClose), cell sedimentation products (SedimSure), and cryogenic storage cassettes. These are registered as medical devices in the EU under Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC.
2. Contamination Control Products: Sale of ConTaFree product line including Biocidal ZF disinfectants and AquaClean antimicrobial additives for cell culture laboratories and heating bath fluids.
3. OEM Cleaning Agents: Sale of SystemClean products (SpeedFlush and Alkaline Forte) for liquid handling robotics and analyzers to OEM clients.
4. Molecular Biology Reagents: Sale of RNA isolation (RNAzol, TRI Reagent), DNA isolation (DNAzol), and related products for molecular biology research.
5. Histological Products: Sale of Histological Marking Colours for permanent color marking in tissue processing.
6. Proteomics Consumables: Sale of PerfectWestern containers for Western blot processing, available in 35 sizes and multiple configurations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

WAK-Chemie Medical GmbH manufactures and sells medical-device-grade cryopreservation reagents (CryoSure-DMSO, CryoSure-DEX40), cryogenic freezing bags and cassettes (CryoClose), cell sedimentation aids (SedimSure), contamination control products for cell culture (Biocidal ZF, AquaClean, Acryl AquaClean), OEM cleaning agents for liquid handling robotics (SystemClean SpeedFlush, Alkaline Forte), molecular biology reagents (RNAzol, TRI Reagent, DNAzol), histological marking dyes, and PerfectWestern containers. Products are made with USP-grade raw materials under cGMP and ICH Q7A, registered as EU medical devices under MDD 93/42/EEC, and certified to EN ISO 13485:2016 and DIN EN ISO 9001:2015.

Product overview

WAK-Chemie Medical GmbH offers a diversified portfolio of innovative products for medicine and life sciences, founded in 1985. The company's offerings include: Cryopreservation products (CryoSure-DMSO and CryoSure-DEX40 cryo-preservatives registered as medical devices); CryoClose™ Freezing Bags and Overwrap Bags for cryogenic storage; SedimSure for cell component separation; Biocidal ZF™ disinfectant for cell culture areas; AquaClean and Acryl AquaClean antimicrobial additives; SystemClean OEM cleaning agents for liquid handling robotics; Histological Marking Colours for tissue marking; and nucleic acid isolation reagents including RNAzol® and DNAzol® product lines. The company also offers GenHunter PerfectWestern® Containers for Western blot processing. WAK-Chemie Medical implements certified quality systems according to EN ISO 13485:2016 and DIN EN ISO 9001:2015.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CryoSure: Cryopreservation product line including CryoSure-DMSO and CryoSure-DEX cryo-preservatives registered as medical devices in the EU.
• CryoClose
• SedimSure
• ConTaFree
• SystemClean
• Histological Marking Colours
• PerfectWestern

Products and services

• CryoSure-DMSO Dimethyl Sulfoxide cryo-preservative in multidose vials, registered as a medical device in the EU for storage of human cells or tissue for transplantation according to Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC.
• CryoSure-DEX40 55% w/v Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP Grade with 5% w/v Dextran 40 USP Grade cryo-preservative in multidose format, registered as medical device in EU for storage of human cord blood according to Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC. Raw materials are USP grade per cGMP and ICH Q7A.
• CryoClose Freezing Bags Freezing bags for cryopreservation of cell suspensions down to -196°C in vapor phase above liquid nitrogen, made of EVA materials, sterile and non-pyrogenic. CE marked medical devices available in 50ml, 250ml, 500ml, and 800ml capacities.
• CryoClose Overwrap Bags Overwrap bags designed for use with CryoClose Freezing Bags to provide additional protection during cryogenic storage and clean room introduction.
• SedimSure 500 ml Sedimentation aid containing 6 g/dl Hydroxyethyl Starch (HES) 600 in 0.9 g/dl NaCl for addition to anticoagulated harvests of hematopoietic stem cells in volume reduction procedures. CE marked medical device in the EU.
• CryoSure-CryoStorage Cassette Security cassette designed for volume-reduced Cord Blood Freezing Bags of approximately 25 ml content, made of polished aluminum with internal dimensions of 91mm/77mm/9mm (W/L/H).
• CryoSure Rack Stainless steel rack designed to hold 8 CryoSure-CryoStorage Cassettes, custom-made to suit user needs.
• Biocidal ZF Spray disinfectant for incubators and sterile cabinets in cell culture area. Active against bacteria, enveloped viruses, yeasts, and fungi with non-volatile antimicrobial ingredients that protect cell cultures without invading them via air.
• AquaClean Antimicrobial additive for water-soluble heating bath fluids, active against bacteria, enveloped viruses, algae, and fungi. Shows blue indicator color for microbial contamination detection. Free of aldehydes and azides.
• Acryl AquaClean Antimicrobial additive for heating bath fluids compatible with acrylic glass and aluminum materials. Active against bacteria, enveloped viruses, algae, and fungi. Free of azides and aldehydes.
• SystemClean Alkaline Forte Non-foaming alkaline cleaning agent for fixed-tip liquid handling systems and analyzers for weekly use. Formulated with KOH solution and organic polymers for profound cleaning and rapid rinseability, effective for biofilm and particulate residue removal.
• SystemClean SpeedFlush Non-foaming acidic cleaning agent for fixed-tip liquid handling systems and analyzers for daily use. Proprietary formulation of acidic solution with organic polymers enables profound cleaning with only 1-3 rinsing cycles.
• Histological Marking Colours Permanent color marking dyes for histological processing that do not fade during histological procedures. Suitable for fresh and frozen tissue processing. Available in 6-color and 7-color sets with refill bottles and accessories.
• RNAzol RT Reagent Single-step reagent isolating mRNA and small RNA in separate fractions without chloroform-induced phase separation or refrigerated centrifuge. No DNase treatment needed, with higher yields and quality than previous methods.
• RNAzol BD Reagent Single-step reagent isolating total RNA, mRNA, and small RNA from whole blood, plasma, or serum. Allows simultaneous isolation of DNA with higher yields and quality than previous methods.
• TRI Reagent Product Line Single-step reagents for isolation of RNA or simultaneous isolation of RNA, DNA, and proteins from tissues, cells, blood, plasma, or serum. Includes TRI Reagent, TRI Reagent BD, TRI Reagent LS, TRI Reagent RT, and TRI Reagent RT-Liquid Samples variants. Processes up to 100mg tissue or 10^7 cells per ml.
• DNAzol Product Line Genomic DNA isolation reagents for tissues, cells, plants, blood, and direct PCR sample processing. Includes DNAzol, DNAzol ES (plant), DNAzol BD (blood), and DNAzol Direct (PCR template) variants. Non-toxic, fast (10-30 min), and reliable.
• Bactozol Kit Kit for isolation of bacterial DNA including 10X Bactozol Enzyme Solution, Dilution Buffer, and DNAzol sufficient for 125 isolations, each yielding up to 40µg bacterial DNA.
• GenHunter PerfectWestern Containers Specially designed containers for Western blots in 35 different sizes including whole blots, half blots, and strips. Feature ultra-smooth flat inner surfaces, evaporation-minimizing lids, 90-degree edges, and stability up to 70°C for stripping.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products tested according to European and United States Pharmacopeia for Sterility, Pyrogens, Endotoxins, Mycoplasma and Vitality
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sartorius: Supplies bioprocess and lab products including cell and gene therapy consumables. Comparable as a broader incumbent in adjacent cell therapy workflows where WAK-Chemie's products are purchased.
• Lonza Group: Global biomanufacturing and cell therapy solutions provider offering cryopreservation media, primary cells, and processing consumables. Comparable as a much larger incumbent serving the same cell therapy labs that buy WAK-Chemie products.
• Corning Life Sciences: Manufactures cell culture vessels, cryogenic storage vials, and media. Direct overlap with WAK-Chemie's freezing bags, cassettes, and cryopreservation storage consumables.
• Miltenyi Biotec: Cell biology and cell therapy company with proprietary reagents, devices, and consumables for cell processing and cryopreservation. Comparable end-market and customer base to WAK-Chemie.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Life Sciences): Largest life-science tools provider, offering cryopreservation media, freezing bags, and molecular biology reagents across its Thermo Scientific and Gibco brands. Competes with WAK-Chemie on nearly every product line.
• Cytiva (Danaher): Provides bioprocessing and cell therapy workflow products including freezing bags, cryoprotectants, and storage systems. Competes with WAK-Chemie across cryopreservation consumables and freezing-bag categories.
• Merck KGaA / Sigma-Aldrich (Life Science): Broad life-science catalog supplier of DMSO, dextran, and cryopreservation reagents. Competes with WAK-Chemie's CryoSure line and RNAzol/TRI Reagent molecular biology reagents at scale.

Direct peers

• BioLife Solutions: Specialist supplier of cryopreservation media, storage products, and cold-chain solutions for cell and gene therapy. Closest direct peer to WAK-Chemie's CryoSure-DMSO/DEX40 and CryoClose bag portfolio.
• STEMCELL Technologies: Develops cell isolation, culture, and cryopreservation reagents for regenerative medicine and cell therapy. Direct overlap with WAK-Chemie's cryoprotectants and cell-processing consumables.

Others

• Avantor / VWR: Global lab products distributor and supplier of laboratory consumables and reagents. Comparable as a distribution and supply channel competing for the same cryopreservation, OEM cleaning, and reagent budgets that WAK-Chemie sells into.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 WAK-Chemie Medical