Tradition on the path to the future

Setup of a new production line at the Berlin production site

Heidelberg, December 9, 2025

Faced with increasing demand from patients and customers, the renowned Klosterfrau Group decided to set up a new production line at their Berlin production site. io took on the entire lead consulting // plus and implementation support.

Klosterfrau, the company behind traditional products such as the now iconic “Melissengeist” lemon balm spirit, has developed over almost 200 years into one of the best-known and leading manufacturers in many areas of self-medication. The Klosterfrau Group has long been defined by its culture of constantly combining tradition and modernity. The Group’s largest production site in Berlin produces pre-filled syringes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in addition to distillates, nasal sprays, juices and drops.
 

Klosterfrau’s strategic investment strengthens Germany’s position as a pharmaceutical location
 

Sustainable production and innovations in new technologies are consistent driving forces for employees at Klosterfrau Berlin. The Klosterfrau Group had already decided in 2021 to invest massively to secure existing jobs and create new ones.

The starting point of the multi-year investment was a production line for manufacturing gels in plastic syringes – all on one building level. The system includes filling the gels into syringes in cGMP cleanroom class C under laminar flow as well as labeling the syringes, plunger rod assembly, blister packing, sterilization of terminals and final packaging in cGMP cleanroom class D.
 

io impresses with its comprehensive expertise and project experience
 

Klosterfrau Berlin GmbH entrusted io with the responsibility for lead consulting and implementation support. 

The planning phase included an overarching needs analysis, which formed the basis for developing the overall concept. io also took charge of all the necessary approvals in compliance with the legal regulations and standards in force.

Detailed planning then followed during the design and implementation planning phase, including layout, selection of technical components and planning the implementation within the existing infrastructure. Once the foundations for the planning had been laid, io also took on the tendering and awarding for all necessary subcontractors. 

io continued overseeing the project during its realization phase with complete supervision of the construction and quality control right up to final completion of the plant. Subsequent extensive test runs as part of the qualification process ensured functionality, performance and the required quality standards.
 

io realizes efficient and future-proof production in the face of challenging conditions
 

As a result, the new production line is designed for filling quantities of 300 to 750 kg and is therefore able to produce between 15,000 and 150,000 syringes per batch, depending on the product. The new line supports production with a wide range of variants and allows filling in more than 20 different formats. Syringes are filled, packaged and autoclaved on one floor in a three-shift, year-round operation. The system also means highly viscous products can be filled and meets all current regulatory requirements, something which became even more stringent during the course of the project. 

The team faced a number of challenges throughout the project, due to the prevailing global market situation, for example with sudden unexpected increases in raw material prices directly impacting procurement of the required components. Even under these circumstances, and despite having to extend the lead consulting support provided due to prolonged delivery times, io was also able to clearly outperform comparable competitor projects in terms of cost.

About Klosterfrau
 

Klosterfrau Berlin GmbH is a pharmaceutical company based in Berlin-Marienfelde. It produces medical lozenges, liquid medicines and sterile disposable syringes on 45,000 square meters in compliance with the strictest GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) guidelines. In addition to Klosterfrau Melissengeist lemon balm spirit), the brand range also includes neo-angin®, Soledum®, nasic® and Instillagel®. Klosterfrau Berlin also undertakes contract manufacturing for third-party companies. Today, around 300 employees work for Klosterfrau Berlin, demonstrating a high level of commitment and team spirit in various professional fields. Klosterfrau Berlin GmbH is part of the Klosterfrau Group. The company was founded in Cologne in 1826 by the nun Maria Clementine Martin. The Klosterfrau Group is now the umbrella organization for companies in the consumer healthcare, medical, contract manufacturing and cosmetics sectors. Central services such as finance, controlling, human resources, IT and many more are located at the founding location and headquarters in Cologne. Tradition and innovation shape the culture of the Klosterfrau Group and provide a valuable basis for a successful future. With around 1,500 employees at 11 locations throughout Europe, the Klosterfrau Group is a driving force in the healthcare industry.