Exclusive cGMP synthesis of pharmaceutical active ingredients, performance chemicals and intermediates, specialized in safety-critical reactions
Dottikon ES Holding AG
Dottikon (CH)New on Amplifa
About Dottikon ES
Dottikon ES Holding AG, with its production site in Dottikon, is an internationally active Swiss company specializing in safety-critical chemical reactions. The company manufactures performance chemicals, intermediates and exclusive pharmaceutical active ingredients (APIs) for leading companies in the chemical, biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Its services include research and development with route finding and process development, process intensification under cGMP, and multi-tonne production under cGMP; its quality management is approved by the FDA and Swissmedic. Building on more than 110 years of experience in safety-critical reactions, the company pursues a one-site strategy in Switzerland with more than 800 employees. Core technologies include catalytic hydrogenation, oxidation, nitration and distillative purification, for example of aromatic isomers into highly pure products. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and generated net sales of CHF 428.4 million in the 2025/26 financial year.
- Site
- Dottikon
- Processes
- Exclusive synthesis of APIs (active ingredients), Manufacture of performance chemicals and intermediates, Safety-critical reactions (hazardous reactions), R&D, route finding and process development, Process intensification under cGMP, Multi-tonne cGMP production, Catalytic hydrogenation, Oxidation
- Materials
- Chemical intermediates for the dyestuff industry, Pharmaceutical active ingredients (APIs), Pharmaceutical Active Ingredients (APIs), Performance Chemicals and Intermediates
- Certificates
- FDA approval, Swissmedic approval, FDA approval (quality management), Swissmedic approval (quality management)
- Founded
- 1913
- Employees
- 800+
- Industries
- Chemicals, Biotech, Pharmaceutical industry
- 01
R&D, route finding and process development
- 02
Process intensification under cGMP
- 03
Multi-tonne cGMP production
- 04
Quality management (FDA and Swissmedic approved)
Processes & Technologies
Pharmaceutical Active Ingredients (APIs)
Exclusive synthesis of active ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry under cGMP.
Performance Chemicals and Intermediates
Manufacture of performance chemicals and multi-stage intermediates for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Site
Dottikon
CHProduction site (one-site strategy)
- Lot size
- Prototype to multi-tonne cGMP production
- Materials
- APIs, performance chemicals, intermediates
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exclusive synthesis of APIs (active ingredients)Other | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacture of performance chemicals and intermediatesOther | – | – | – | – | – |
| Safety-critical reactions (hazardous reactions)Other | – | – | – | – | – |
| R&D, route finding and process developmentEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Process intensification under cGMPOther | – | – | – | – | – |
| Multi-tonne cGMP productionOther | – | – | – | – | – |
| Catalytic hydrogenationOther | – | – | – | – | – |
| OxidationOther | – | – | – | – | – |
| NitrationOther | – | – | – | – | – |
| Distillative purification of aromatic isomers into highly pure productsOther | – | – | – | – | – |
| Quality management (FDA and Swissmedic approved)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Quality
The quality management system is approved by the FDA and Swissmedic and accompanies cGMP production from development through to multi-tonne manufacturing.
| Evidence | Dottikon |
|---|---|
| FDA approval (quality management) | |
| Swissmedic approval (quality management) |
History
- 1913
Founded as Schweizerische Sprengstofffabrik AG (SSF); registered in the commercial register on 29 May 1913; founders included Robert Aebi, Walter Aebi and Willy Allendorff
- 1914–1918
Backward integration into tar distillation and TNT production due to raw material shortages during the First World War
- 1969
8 April: major explosion in the nitration department, 18 deaths and 108 injured
- 1987
Acquisition by Ems-Chemie Holding AG
- 1990
Renamed Ems-Dottikon AG
- 2005
Spin-off, renamed Dottikon Exclusive Synthesis AG and IPO on the stock exchange