Our story began with a nurse named Elise Sørensen in 1954. Elise’s sister Thora had undergone an ostomy operation and avoided going out in public for fear of experiencing a stoma leak. Elise was determined to help her sister out of isolation. As she listened to Thora’s challenges, Elise responded with an idea for the world’s first disposable, self-adhesive ostomy pouch.
Based on Elise’s idea, Aage Louis-Hansen, a civil engineer and plastics manufacturer, and his wife Johanne Louis-Hansen, a nurse, developed the ostomy bag. Aage and Johanne combined their engineering ability and entrepreneurial drive to create a simple solution that made a massive difference, and in 1957 Aage founded Coloplast.
Coloplast was founded on passion, ambition, and commitment. We were born from a nurse’s wish to help her sister and the skills of an engineer. Guided by empathy, our mission is to make life easier for people with intimate healthcare needs. Over decades, we have helped millions of people live more independent lives and continue to do so through innovative products and services. Globally, our business areas include Ostomy Care, Continence Care, Advanced Wound Care, Interventional Urology and Voice and Respiratory Care.