Ferrosan

Ferrosan A/S, was a danish health care company founded in 1920 by Niels Jacob Herman Weitzmann. The initial idea was to produce and market a food supplement containing iron to counter iron deficiency (anemia) caused by the general shortage of meat in the aftermath of World War I. "Ferro" (or in latin "Ferrum") is the chemical name "Fe" and atomic number 26 in the Periodic Table. "san" or the formal "sama" (様) is Japanese and stands for "trust"/"respect". The original product later changed its name to Idozan. In the years that followed more products were launched including Sanocrysin (based on Sodium aurothiosulfate) for treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Spin-offs included products based on e.g. glucosamine for treatment of Osteoporosis and joint ailments, in the 1960-70s Ferrosan became the first company in Denmark to import birth-control pills. Ferrosan gradually expanded into OTC consumer health and vitamin supplements mainly in the Multi-tabs range, and probiotics in the Idoform and bifiform range. Other well-known brands included the suger-free chewing gum Caroxin, painreliever Idotyl, the toothpaste Fluo Calcin, and the skincare from within beauty supplement Imedeen. In 1986 Ferrosan was acquired by Novo, who terminated a number of business units and insourced the R&D labs. Ferrosan became a privately held company again in 1995 following a management buy-out. In 2003 Altor - a larger nordic VC fund - acquired a majority stake in Ferrosan and the same year Ferrosan acquired the norwegian Nordic Sales Group, that marketed brands like FriFlyt - an omega-3 food supplement. In 2011 Pfizer purchased the Ferrosan consumer health division. The other division - Ferrosan Medical Device - continued under Altors ownership. At its peak Ferrosan was a regional and world leader in vitamin supplemnets, cosmeceuticals and medical devices employing some 500+ people with production facilities in Denmark, Hungary and export to more than 90 countries world wide.