The Frankfurt RheinMain business location is growing: Efor, a leading international engineering services consultancy specialising in the life sciences, is opening its first German branch in Frankfurt. For the Efor Group, this new location is a milestone in its international growth strategy. The company has established itself in one of the most dynamic locations in the life sciences sector and will expand its cooperation with local customers from here. The relocation was supported by FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH International Marketing of the Region (FRM GmbH) and will continue to be supported by the Frankfurt Economic Development.
Mike Josef, Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of FRM GmbH: “Frankfurt RheinMain offers ideal conditions for companies operating in the life sciences sector. Our region is at the heart of the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries, offering excellent infrastructure, proximity to world-renowned research institutions, and a vibrant start-up scene. The decision of the Efor Group to open its first German branch in Frankfurt proves that we can convince international companies of the strengths of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region as a business location, even in challenging economic times. I am personally very pleased that a company from Lyon, with which Frankfurt has the longest city partnership, has chosen to locate here."
The internationally active Efor Group was founded in Lyon, France, in 2013. The management consultancy specialises in advising life science companies and supports clients in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical technology sectors. Efor is one of the leading companies in the field of compliance and industrial performance, with particular expertise in the areas of engineering, commissioning, qualification & validation and quality assurance. It also offers complementary services covering the entire product life cycle from research and development to drug safety.
The company operates internationally, employs 3,000 people worldwide and has branches in 14 countries on three continents.
The decision in favour of Frankfurt as a location is based on the growing demand from industrial customers that Efor already supports in other regions. Many of these companies have sites in Germany and want local support. As the centre of the German pharmaceutical industry with numerous global market leaders, Frankfurt RheinMain also offers an innovative research landscape with renowned universities, institutes and research facilities: “Frankfurt combines Germany's industrial strength in the life sciences sector with a first-class academic environment. For Efor, this expansion is a well-considered and sensible decision. Not only is Germany the largest pharmaceutical market in Europe, it is also the fourth largest worldwide, behind the USA, China and Japan. It has a robust life sciences ecosystem comprising over 700 registered pharmaceutical companies, and has invested significantly in recent years with plans for further investment in the future," explains Javier Muller, Site Manager of the Frankfurt office.
Efor offers its entire service portfolio at the Frankfurt branch: Engineering services, qualification and validation (CQV), quality assurance, and the application of digitalisation and artificial intelligence to production processes. The technical department, consisting of 250 experts, plays a central role in this. This department enables Efor to offer audits and training to the entire ecosystem, while also developing the skills of its employees.
The Efor Group has set itself some ambitious goals: The company plans to double its global workforce by 2028. In Europe, it intends to increase its current workforce of 2,500 employees to 4,500. According to the company, its Frankfurt branch will play a key role in achieving this. Efor plans to have a team of 50 employees on site by the end of 2025. This will be achieved through new hires and internal transfers.
“Our region is an important location for French companies. More than 400 of them already have a branch in the Frankfurt RheinMain region. Around 16,600 French people live and work here, with 4,600 residing in Frankfurt and 12,000 in the surrounding area. The French community is an integral part of our dynamic economic landscape. French associations such as the Club des Affaires de la Hesse, the Deutsch-Französischer Wirtschaftsclub, the Deutsch-Französische Gesellschaft Frankfurt am Main (DFG) and Francfort Accueil facilitate lively exchanges. In addition to our numerous location advantages, these associations offer French companies the opportunity to easily gain a foothold here and become successful in business. We are naturally delighted that we were able to support the Efor Group in its first steps in our role as a guide," says Eric Menges, CEO of FRM GmbH.
FRM GmbH has been in contact with the Efor Group since March 2025, acting as their point of contact throughout the relocation process. The Europe team at FRM GmbH provided market analyses, offered advice on relocation-related matters and helped establish contact with suitable networks.