Our History

The Story of Lighter Living with JOBST

1950
Conrad Jobst founded JOBST in Toledo, Ohio. Born in Germany, Conrad was both a mechanical engineer and inventor. He applied his varied expertise and personal experience to the development of gradient compression garments, which relieve the symptoms of venous insufficiency.

1957
After Conrad's death his wife, Caroline Jobst, successfully grew the business. Under her leadership, JOBST expanded the product lines to include ready-to-wear garments, consumer support stockings, plastic and reconstructive surgery garments, and anti-embolism stockings. Sales extended to virtually every continent as the JOBST reputation for quality grew.

1953
VARITEX Deutschland - the predecessor of JOBST in Europe - became established in Emmerich on the Lower Rhine in Germany and began cooperation with professionals in phlebology and lymphology. At that time the first compression stockings were made of hand-operated machines. The company worked from the beginning closely together with leading lymphological and phlebological specialist clinics and developed, according to the therapeutic needs and to the requirements of the individual patients, flat knit stockings both in series and made to measure.

1983
Beiersdorf AG, Hamburg, acquired VARITEX.

1990
Beiersdorf AG, Hamburg, acquired JOBST USA.

1992
Varitex was renamed in JOBST Germany.

2001
JOBST Germany and JOBST USA became affiliate companies of BSN Medical, a joint venture of the medical division of Beiersdorf, Hamburg, and Smith & Nephew, London plc. The company name changed into BSN-JOBST.

2004
JOBST Germany was renamed into BSN-JOBST GmbH.

2006
BSN medical was acquired in 2006 by Montagu Private Equity, a leading private equity investor in the European mid-market.

2012
The company was acquired by EQT VI. EQT is the leading private equity group in Northern Europe with close to € 1.8 billion in raised capital and multiple investment strategies.

2017
BSN medical was acquired by Swedish Essity AB (former SCA), a leading global hygiene and health company that develops, produces and sells Personal Care (Baby Care, Feminine Care, Incontinence Products and Medical Solutions), Consumer Tissue and Professional Hygiene products and solutions.

Essity´s vision is: Dedicated to improving well-being through leading hygiene and health solutions. BSN medical has joined forces with the Incontinence Care unit, creating the business unit Health & Medical Solutions (HMS), led by Ulrika Kolsrud. HMS is aligned under one vision - to empower customers, patients and caregivers with products and solutions to support healthy and active lives.

More information on: www.essity.com