Eduard Gerlach

What Eduard Gerlach does

Eduard Gerlach GmbH, operating under the GEHWOL brand, is a German foot care manufacturer and distributor founded in 1868 and headquartered in Lübbecke, Germany. The company produces a portfolio spanning consumer foot care preparations (GEHWOL, GEHWOL FUSSKRAFT, GEHWOL MED, GEHWOL PROFESSIONAL, GERLAVIT-GERLASAN), professional podiatry practice equipment under the GEHWOL TECH platform (practice furniture, rotating instruments, nail brace correction systems, sterilization and hygiene infrastructure), a cold plasma therapy device for nail fungus treatment, and the pharmacy-only antiparasitic product GOLDGEIST FORTE. The technical backbone combines in-house formulation R&D led by a dedicated Head of R&D, Class IIb medical device compliance for disinfection products, and proprietary brace correction systems (NASPAN, VHO, GTO, B/S).

Eduard Gerlach operates a hybrid B2B-specialist / indirect-to-consumer business model. Direct commercial relationships are with foot care specialist practices, pharmacies, and specialized drugstores, served through a Germany-wide field sales team (Außendienst) of largely podiatrist-trained staff and an eShop restricted to registered professional customers. End consumers access products exclusively through these specialist retailers, supported by a Praxisfinder directory and a 40+ member beauty blogger Testerclub. The company does not sell directly to consumers, does not disclose pricing publicly beyond limited eShop and rental references, and earns revenue primarily through one-time product sales (preparations, equipment, instruments, disinfection consumables).

The company is privately held by a family ownership structure consistent with German Mittelstand tradition, with no public listing, no disclosed funding rounds, and no parent company. It holds VAH-listing for disinfection products and has been recognized at the Beauty Forum Stars Award in 2025. It serves Germany as its primary market with international operations via distributors and importers, supported by English-language GEHWOL Academy training.

Name

Eduard Gerlach

Legal name

Eduard Gerlach GmbH

Website

https://gehwol.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Eduard Gerlach GmbH (GEHWOL) is a 156-year-old German manufacturer of foot care preparations, professional podiatry equipment, and disinfection products, selling exclusively through specialist trade channels to podiatrists, pharmacies, and end consumers in Germany and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foot Care Products and Podiatry Equipment

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Foot Care (Deodorizing, Anti-chafe, Callus Care) (CRADANAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hand & Foot Care (CRABAAAE)

Keywords

• Foot care products
• Podiatry equipment
• Medical cosmetics
• Professional hygiene
• Nail brace systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Lübbecke

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foot Care Preparations Sales: Sale of topical preparations including GEHWOL, GEHWOL MED, GEHWOL FUSSKRAFT, GEHWOL PROFESSIONAL, GERLAVIT, and GERLASAN balance product lines to foot care professionals and pharmacies.
2. Professional Equipment and Instruments: Sale of GEHWOL TECH practice furniture, foot care devices, hygiene products, rotating instruments, nail braces, and wound care products to podiatry practices.
3. GOLDGEIST FORTE Antiparasitic Products: Sale of GOLDGEIST FORTE lice treatment products (pyrethrum-based) available in pharmacies, in 75ml and 250ml sizes.
4. Disinfection and Hygiene Products: Sale of GERLASAN and GERLACH TECHNIK branded disinfection products for hand, surface, and instrument hygiene in professional foot care settings.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Eduard Gerlach GmbH manufactures and sells foot care preparations, professional podiatry equipment, instruments, and hygiene/disinfection products under the GEHWOL brand. The company serves professional foot care specialists, pharmacies, and specialized drugstores in Germany and internationally through specialist trade channels, with end consumers purchasing through those professional retailers. The portfolio spans consumer foot creams, medicated lines (GEHWOL MED), professional practice equipment, rotating instruments, nail brace correction systems, cold plasma therapy devices, and the GOLDGEIST FORTE antiparasitic product.

Product overview

Eduard Gerlach GmbH (GEHWOL) is a German foot care company founded in 1868, offering a comprehensive portfolio of foot care products through two main sub-brands: GEHWOL for consumer-oriented preparations and GEHWOL MED for medicated/therapeutic products. The product ecosystem includes GEHWOL FUSSKRAFT (professional podiatry line since 1961) with its Soft Feet wellness sub-line, GEHWOL PROFESSIONAL (disinfection products), and GERLAVIT-GERLASAN (hand and foot care). The GEHWOL TECH platform provides professional practice equipment including cold plasma therapy devices, rotating instruments (diamond grinders, ceramic grinders, carbide burrs), nail brace correction systems (NASPAN, VHO, GTO, B/S), hygiene products (hand disinfection, surface disinfection, instrument disinfection, sterilization), and surgical instruments. Supporting products include pressure protection (polymer gel, felt, foam), working clothes, advertising materials, spare parts, and GOLDGEIST FORTE (lice treatment). The company serves foot care specialists, pharmacies, and end consumers exclusively through the specialist trade channel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GEHWOL FUSSKRAFT: Exclusive product line for professional foot care introduced in 1961, meeting the needs of patients' feet.
• GEHWOL MED
• GEHWOL TECH
• GERLAVIT - GERLASAN
• GEHWOL / GERLASAN balance
• GOLDGEIST FORTE
• GEHWOL PROFESSIONAL

Products and services

• GEHWOL FUSSKRAFT Professional foot care product line for use in podiatry practices and resale to patients, including warming cream, intensive cream, fresh cream, herbal spray, and care cream variants.
• GEHWOL FUSSKRAFT Soft Feet Wellness care series for quick in-between care of feet and legs, including foam, lotion, butter, cream, peeling, and care bath products with moisturizing and refreshing properties.
• GEHWOL Foot Care Preparations

Quantifiable outcome

• GEHWOL MED LIPIDRO CREME proven to protect against calluses, improve moisture levels, and strengthen skin barrier for diabetic foot care

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Foot Care International / SpaNail / Onyfix: 3TO GmbH produces Onyfix nail correction systems for ingrown toenail treatment, directly competing with Eduard Gerlach's NASPAN, VHO, GTO, and B/S nail brace systems in the German and international podiatry equipment market.

Direct peers

• Allpresan: Allpresan is a German manufacturer specializing in foam-based foot care products for diabetic skin and podiatry professionals, directly competing with Eduard Gerlach's GEHWOL MED and GEHWOL FUSSKRAFT lines in the German specialist trade channel.
• Brasseler USA: Brasseler manufactures rotary instruments, diamond burs, and carbide burrs for podiatry and dental handpiece applications, directly competing with Eduard Gerlach's GEHWOL TECH rotating instruments product line.
• Gehwol competitors - Gehwol Brand (Swiss brand Gehwol/Medi): medi GmbH produces medical aids including orthopedic devices, compression therapy, and foot care products, with overlapping offerings in foot care and orthopedic appliance categories that compete with Eduard Gerlach's nail brace and pressure protection lines.
• Medifa GmbH: Medifa is a German manufacturer of medical furniture, practice equipment, and treatment chairs/couches for medical practices, comparable to Eduard Gerlach's GEHWOL TECH practice furniture, treatment couches, and mobile foot care unit offerings.
• Schülke & Mayr GmbH: Schülke is a German hygiene and disinfection specialist serving medical practices, hospitals, and pharmacies, directly competing with GERLASAN and GERLACH TECHNIK disinfection products in the professional podiatry and pharmacy segments.
• Scholl (Reckitt / Bayer): Scholl is a globally recognized foot care brand offering creams, treatments, and insoles across consumer and pharmacy channels, competing directly with GEHWOL consumer foot care preparations in Germany and internationally.

Broad incumbents

• BSN medical (Essity): Essity/BSN medical is a global hygiene and health company producing orthopedic braces, wound care, and compression therapy products, comparable to Eduard Gerlach's nail brace correction systems and pressure protection portfolio.
• Beiersdorf (Hansaplast/foot care): Beiersdorf is a global personal care multinational whose Hansaplast brand competes in foot care alongside wound care and pressure protection products, overlapping with Eduard Gerlach's pressure protection and diabetic foot care categories.
• Paul Hartmann AG: Hartmann is a major German medical and hygiene products company offering wound care, disinfection, and medical supplies that overlap with Eduard Gerlach's wound care, disinfection, and pressure protection product categories in professional channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GehwolDE
• Facebookfacebook.com/GehwolDE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eduard-gerlach-gmbh

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Eduard Gerlach