Merck Group (Merck KGaA) is headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany.

Overview of Merck KGaA

Founded in 1668, the Merck Group is the world’s oldest chemical and pharmaceutical company. It is a global science and technology leader operating in 66 countries with approximately 60,000 employees.

Primary Business Sectors

The company’s operations are divided into three main pillars:

Healthcare:
Develops and manufactures innovative prescription pharmaceuticals for conditions such as cancer (oncology), multiple sclerosis (neurology and immunology), infertility, and endocrinology.

Life Science:
Supplies tools, digital platforms, and high-quality products for biotechnology and pharmaceutical research and production. This includes the MilliporeSigma brand (formerly Merck Millipore and Sigma-Aldrich).

Electronics:
Focuses on semiconductor solutions, surface solutions, and materials that advance digital living.

Brand Identity and Distinction

It is critical to distinguish this company from the U.S.-based Merck & Co. (MSD), which is an entirely separate and unaffiliated entity.

Merck Group (Germany):
Holds the rights to the name “Merck” everywhere except the U.S. and Canada. In those regions, it operates as EMD Serono (Healthcare), MilliporeSigma (Life Science), and EMD Electronics.

Product Context:
The EAN codes provided refer to Consumer Health and pharmaceutical products (such as vitamins, supplements, or specialized medicines like Bion3 or Vigantol) that were historically part of the German Merck’s portfolio.

Ownership and Management
The company has remained a family-owned business for over 350 years. E. Merck KG, the founding family’s company, continues to be the majority owner of Merck KGaA.