Our History

The hematologist Josep Antoni Grifols i Roig founds a clinical analysis laboratory in Barcelona: the Instituto Central de Análisis Clínicos, Bacteriológicos y Químicos, a precursor to Laboratorios Grifols.

The First World War generates international interest in the science of blood transfusion. In Spain, Grifols i Roig patents the first instrument for carrying out indirect blood transfusions, the transfusion flebula.

Freeze-drying as a technique for improving plasma conservation becomes a reality under the innovative leadership of Víctor Grifols i Lucas. Against this backdrop, he opens the doors to the first private blood and plasma bank in Spain: the Hemobanco of Laboratorios Grifols. 

Víctor Grifols i Lucas and Guillermo Celis found Gri-Cel, a company dedicated to the design and manufacture of laboratory and blood bank instruments, a future pillar of Grifols' growth.

Grifols begins a partnership with Dade Reagents, a North American company that manages blood banks in the United States, directed by hematologist John Elliot. Products are sold across Spain under the brand Dade-Grifols.

Control of the company is handed down to the entrepreneur Víctor Grifols Roura, a process that finishes in 1987. The holding company Grupo Grifols is created, uniting the commercial company and clinical diagnostic, plasma-derived medicines, and parenteral solutions production companies.

With the production plant in Parets del Vallès (Barcelona), Grifols becomes the first Spanish company to receive an FDA license for its installations and a biological product, albumin. 

Grifols acquires the company SeraCare, now Biomat, and its 43 plasma donation centers in the United States. 

Grifols begins trading on the Spanish stock market. 

The Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis is launched to train employees in specific disciplines related to the plasma-derivatives industry.

The acquisition of Novartis' transfusion unit offers integrated solutions across the different processes, from donation to transfusion.

With the acquisition of Hologic's transfusion unit, Grifols investigates, develops, and produces reagents and instrumentation based on NAT technology.

Grifols grows its network of plasma donation centers, the largest in the world, with the addition of the FDA-approved Interstate Blood Bank Inc. (IBBI) centers. This includes 26 plasma centers, 9 blood donation centers, and an analytical laboratory. 

Grifols and Egypt's National Service Projects Organization inaugurates their first plasma donation center, in El Cairo, less than a year after signing a strategic alliance to develop an integrated plasma-supply platform to help achieve self-sufficiency in plasma medicines in the country and region. As part of the agreement, by 2025 the partners will open 19 more donation centers as well as a testing lab and production facilities in the country.

As part of its efforts to strengthen and enhance China's healthcare system, Grifols announced a strategic alliance with Haier Group to further develop the Chinese plasma market. This alliance enables the companies to explore synergies and opportunities to merge Grifols' excellence in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics with Haier's impressive portfolio of healthcare solutions.