From Pioneer to International Market Leader

Our Milestones Since 1953

For over 65 years, Praxisdienst has remained true to its German name as a servicer for medical practices. Founded as one of the first mail-order companies for medical products, Praxisdienst has developed into an internationally successful supplier of medical products for human, dental and veterinary medicine. Our customers consist of general practitioners, hospitals, naturopaths, physiotherapists and rescue services as well as sports clubs and production facilities; not only in German-speaking communities, but also throughout Europe.

Pioneer as a Nationwide Shipper of Medical Products

In 1953, Praxisdienst was founded in Wuppertal, Germany as a market pioneer, known for being the first supplier of medical products actively shipping nationwide.  Unlike other suppliers who are exclusively active in local, on-site retail, Praxisdienst initially provided products for the entire country of Germany. Doctors, hospitals and care facilities from Hamburg to Munich could now conveniently acquire everything from syringes to complete surgery furnishings from a single source.

Relocation

In 1978, the company headquarters were relocated to Longuich near Trier. This was a good decision, as the geographical proximity to France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg paved the way for the operational expansion throughout central Europe. Furthermore in the following years, the assortment was expanded step by step and acclimated to the requirements of the time and the progress in medical technology.

Continuation of the Classic Catalogue Business

Praxisdienst is not to be discounted as a supplier of medical products in the original markets of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Four annual catalogues contain a large and current assortment of medical supplies. Advising our customers with a "personal touch" is a concept to which we remain true, even today. The competent and friendly advice from our educated medical product advisors is an important aspect of our success.

Pioneer as an Online Medical Shop

Started in 1953 with the innovative concept of shipping medical supplies nationwide, Praxisdienst remains true to its innovative spirit 55 years later by opening an online shop in 2007–one of the first specialised online shops for medical products. From then on, the customer has had the choice of placing a classic catalogue order or a modern online order.

The Praxisdienst Online Shop Goes International

The success in the core countries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland inspired us to branch out into new markets. To begin, the Dutch shop went live in 2008 as the first of our non-German language shops online. The start was promising and somewhat later, we extended our offer to include English and French. The country versions for Poland, Spain and Italy did not have to wait too long and are continuously built upon.

Creation of the Veterinary Shop

We reacted to the growing market demand and in 2009, we brought the Praxisdienst Veterinary Shop to life. The comprehensive assortment for veterinary medicine consists of a wide spectrum of products from consumables to diagnostic supplies and instruments. Veterinarians can now conveniently order everything for running their clinic online.

Erection of the New Logistic Centre in Longuich

The drastically increasing number of orders presented us with new logistical challenges. A modern warehouse with more capacity was required. The opening took place in the Summer of 2013. The complete logistics process is now quicker and more efficient while setting new standards in regards to environment and sustainability.

Opening of the Dental Shop

As a competent supplier of medical supplies, Praxisdienst is also known as a reliable partner for dentists. We fulfilled this requirement in May of 2014 with the opening of the Praxisdienst dental shop.  Dental professionals strengthen our team and, consequently, expand our assortment of dental products in order to satisfy the needs of dentists and dental labs.

Construction of the New Company Headquarters in Longuich

Increasing success means more work and an equivalent increase in the number of employees. The current company headquarters were not enough and plans for a larger space begun.  The new, modern offices and spaces were inaugurated in Autumn of 2015.

Praxisdienst Receives a New Brand Identity

Classic catalogue business, online shops in domestic and foreign markets, products for human, dental and veterinary medicine–the expansion of business divisions and geographical expansion makes a unifying and fresh look necessary. In 2016, we decided on a new logo that embodies the Praxisdienst brand identity through the use of blue and green. This is how we ensure recognition for customers and manufacturers.

Distinguished with the Shop Usability Award

Our continuous efforts to make the Praxisdienst online shop more user friendly through innovative features, such as the order alarm or emergency configurator, found official recognition in 2017 when Praxisdienst received the Shop Usability Award in the B2B category. This distinction is the most important E-Commerce prize in German-speaking communities and was awarded to an online medical shop for the first time. To us, this prize simultaneously serves as recognition and incentive.

Expansion of the Logistic Centre

The continuous sales growth, the overall positive development of our international shops and the ever-growing number of orders makes an expansion of our logistic centre necessary. By increasing our capacity, we create the basis for further growth, high product availability and continuously high standards in shipping reliability.

Introduction of the PLUS Programme

The satisfaction of our returning customers has always been important to us. With Praxisdienst PLUS, we began a programme that offers members countless benefits: PLUS customers receive an immediate 5% discount, collect loyalty points and benefit from preferred order processing. The programme was very well received and quickly became a great success.

The Order App is Here!

The goal at Praxisdienst is to make the order process as efficient and simple as possible. Therefore, we engaged select returning customers to develop an application that turns your smartphone into a barcode scanner. The customers scan their items directly in their store room, save time and avoid order mistakes. This unique app is a true innovation in the branch and offers a functionality that was previously exclusive to hospitals and large medical facilities.

Commissioning of the Photovoltaic System

Praxisdienst takes another step toward sustainability and energy independence. Under optimal conditions, the new photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the logistics building generates enough energy to supply the entire logistics infrastructure. And we are thinking ahead: the technical requirements for expanding the solar power system have already been met.

Start of the Fully Automatic Warehouse System “AutoStore”

To meet the continuously increasing demand, we put the AutoStore into operation in summer 2020 and created 15,000 new storage spaces. In addition to the increase in capacity, we achieved a considerable increase in efficiency, thanks to the fully automatic robot storage system in two-shift operation. Thanks to the complete automation, errors and mistakes have become virtually impossible. An expansion of the automatic and future-oriented system is already being planned.

Continuation of our Environmental Strategy

We are consistently pursuing our goal of making the growth of our company as resource-efficient as possible. The photovoltaic system has been expanded to provide the entire logistics centre with energy, thus making it self-sufficient. An ultra-modern wind turbine has been installed on the roof of our office premises, which will be used to generate electricity for the site. Additionally, we are starting to convert our vehicle fleet to electric vehicles. By commissioning an electric vehicle charging station, we are creating the necessary conditions for this goal.

100 Employees at Two Locations for the First Time

When we launched our online shop for medical professionals in 2007, we were one of the pioneers on the industry. Our decision proved to be right and helped us achieve continuous growth. Today, are proud to exceed the mark of 100 employees at two locations for the first time. In order to continue growing, we are constantly looking for committed employees to fill our vacancies.

100 % LED Lighting in our Logistics Centre

Fluorescent tubes have finally had their day. While the extension of our logistics site has had highly efficient LED lighting from the beginning, the conversion is now complete in all parts of the building. By using LED technology we achieve energy savings of about 40 %. The new LED lighting with optimised colour rendering also creates improved working conditions for our employees.

Awarded with the "German B2B Award 2020/21"

Praxisdienst was awarded 1st place in the customer satisfaction category in the largest Germany-wide B2B ranking in the "Medical Supplies (Online Shops)" sector. The "German B2B Award" is presented by DtGV, the German Association for Consumer Studies. For the independent ranking, 1,370 companies from 100 different industries were evaluated based on a nationwide online customer survey.

The New Praxisdienst Collect Station 

From now on, our customers can choose to have their parcel deposited at the new pick-up station on the premises of our logistics centre in D-54340 Longuich. This not only saves shipping costs, but the goods are ready for collection around the clock. Our customers receive the pick-up code for their order by e-mail as soon as it has been processed and deposited.

Looking Towards the Future with Confidence

We regularly improve our online shop with innovative, user-friendly features, the expansion of our company headquarters is in planning and a new expansion of our logistics is underway. The course for a successful future is set and the next milestones are certainly not far away.