The beginnings of Scharlau go back to the founding of F.E.R.O.S.A. (Spanish Manufacture of Organic Reagents, SA) in 1949 in Barcelona. It was in 1954 when Mr. Pablo Scharlau acquired the representation for the German firm Dr. Theodor Schuchardt in Spain, which specialized in chemical reagents for laboratory use. An agreement was reached to use the German mark for reagents made in Spain by the company FEROSA. It was in 1970 when, after the takeover of Dr. Theodor Schuchardt by another company, that FEROSA decided to market its products under a new brand: Scharlau.

Due to production needs, in 1971,new manufacturing plant was built in Sentmenat, located 25 km from Barcelona. In 1980, after the death of our founder, his son, D. Werner Scharlau became the new director of the company.

In 1982, FEROSA launched its first catalogue of solvents for HPLC, becoming the first Spanish company producing these products. The rapid penetration of these products into the market along with the existing need of the market for HPLC related products, encouraged us to create a new company, Reagents Scharlau, S.L. with the objective to market not only products made by FEROSA, but also other products related to chromatography.

In 1984, Scharlau SL Reagents published its first catalogue of accessories for HPLC chromatography and creates division. From 1984-1990, Scharlau SL Reagents initiates an expansion, not only in terms of sales network but also in terms of product lines marketed. In 1990, once in the European Common Market, FEROS, initiates its stage of export.

In 1991, Reagents Scharlau, S.L. consolidated as a Laboratory Material Distribution company. At that time, it had three divisions: Reagents, Chromatography and General Material Laboratory. During that same year, FEROSA finalised the purchase of ADSA-MICRO (manufacture of dehydrated culture media) thereby incorporating both the manufacturing portfolio and the national distribution, giving rise to the fourth of our business divisions: Microbiology.

A few months later, in 1991, a new company was created Carl Roth Spain, dedicated to the marketing of security products for the laboratory. In 1994, Reagents Scharlau S.L., reached an exclusive distribution agreement with the firm ACROS ORGANICS (now part of Thermo-Fisher Group) for both their research reagents, and their raw materials.

During 1999, a Laboratory Waste Management Service was launched. A website was created for online purchases. Shortly afterwards it was decided to change the company name from Reagents Scharlau S.L. to Scharlab S.L. From then until now, the catalogue of products and services has not stopped growing in such a way that today, Scharlab S.L. Can offer itself to its customers as a company offering a full supply to the laboratory.