Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

‘Our goal is to offer solutions and products with a definite benefit for the practitioner’ An interview with Sanavis Group Executive Chairman Dr. Martin Rickert Dental supplier SycoTec, head- quartered in Leutkirch, Germany, acquired MICRO-MEGA — a French company with a long-standing tradi- tion of excellence — in autumn of 2009. In February 2010, the Canadian company SciCan joined the duo. The merger of SycoTec, MICRO-MEGA and SciCan formed the Sanavis Group, which is now one of the 10 largest suppliers of dental equip- ment worldwide. Executive Chairman Dr. Martin Rickert spoke with Dental Tribune about these new developments. Dr. Rickert, what does the name Sanavis mean and what new tasks has the merger brought to the group? The word sanavis is borrowed from Latin and, simply translated, means “health and strength.” The name is meant to illustrate that the group consists of companies whose main business segment is dental prod- ucts designed to enable dentists, and consequently patients, to attain and maintain good oral health. Contemporary and innovative products are the foundation of our company strategy. Our main task is gradual orientation toward a joint fundamental strategy and the devel- opment of joint processes so that our customers can directly benefit from the advantages of this merger. Which advantages do you see resulting from this merger? First of all, we are able to offer our customers an improved service. With a much greater regional pres- ence, our customers now receive a far more regional and, consequently, more individualized service. Furthermore, we are now able to coordinate sales of the individual companies much more effectively, thus making them more attractive to our customers. This will also affect the prod- uct development process and, in turn, lead to products that enable improved courses of treatment. Internally, we will be able to benefit from clear advantages in production, purchasing, logistics, administration and reporting. What are the individual compa- nies going to focus on and which role will they play within the Sanavis Group? Ergonomics and safety are the key features of all our future products. In this context, ergonomics means enabling the person providing the treatment to work as simply, effi- ciently and carefully as possible. Safety refers to minimizing the potential for error during the course of the treatment and to the wide field of infection control. MICRO-MEGA is our endodontic specialist, offering everything from root-canal instruments to filling materials. SciCan is our infection- control specialist, covering general practice hygiene, instrument ster- ilization and infection control dur- ing treatment. Both companies have similar needs with regard to dental drive technology. Simply put, this term refers to technologies and products that make devices rotate or move, such as micro-motors, handpieces and tur- bines. SycoTec, an expert original equipment manufacturer, is our spe- cialist in this. Let’s look at the individual com- panies. MICRO-MEGA, the French manufacturer of high-precision tools for root-canal treatments, has been setting world standards on the international dental mar- ket for more than 100 years. Which product is considered to be state- of-the-art now? With the Revo-S system for root- canal preparation, MICRO-MEGA undisputedly has the right to claim a pioneering role once again. Revo- S is a NiTi instrument system that offers unparalleled ease of handling for the practitioner with maximum protection against file breakage. The root canal can be prepared in a clever sequence with only three files. Easy-to-use upgrades are also available for complicated canal shapes. This system is a good example of the advantage of MICRO- MEGA’s many years of experience in endodontics. Moreover, SciCan complements the range of products with its full spectrum of infection-control solutions. The timing is excellent considering that the legal regu- lations with regard to infection control are becoming increasingly more stringent. Infection control is becoming increasingly important, not only as a result of the regulatory require- ments. SciCan offers complete solu- tions from A to Z. Dentists can rely on more than 50 years of experience, which has led to products that offer maximum efficiency, consistency and safety. The rapid sterilizer, Stat- im, is a great example. While it is easy to handle, eco- nomic and functional, its short cycle time is unrivalled. Furthermore, the new thermal disinfector, Hydrim, impresses with its simple installa- tion and economic operation. Natu- rally, all products adhere to all regu- latory requirements. Owing to the financial and eco- nomic crisis, many companies have struggled to maintain their position in the international mar- kets. Do you feel well positioned because of the merger? In the difficult macroeconomic envi- ronment we have been experiencing in recent years, it is an advantage to be part of a strong group. We there- fore feel very well equipped for the future, not only in terms of purely economic aspects, but also generally with regard to our future business. Our goal is to offer solutions and products with a definite benefit for the practitioner. Being a strong group makes this easier and pro- vides greater future security. MICRO-MEGA and SciCan are internationally recognized brands that are constantly investing in research and development. The Sanavis Group is now a global player. How do you intend to take advantage of this? Even though we have reached the size of a global player, we will continue to structure our business locally. However, we will now make use of our expanded network in the respective local branches. This applies to our research partners, as well as to sales and service. Moreover, we can now also tackle new developments that would have been too large for the individual companies. The main advantage surely is that we are now able to access the exper- tise of the partner companies for new developments. In the future, products will become increasingly digitalized and integrated, making the integration of different product areas indispens- able. A great deal can be expected of us in this respect. How will customer service be organized? Customer service will be organized at a local level, as has been the case up to now. Naturally, we will continue our existing, reliable part- nerships. Furthermore, our custom- ers can look forward to an exten- sion of the services offered as we are improving our presence for our entire product range, particularly in the German market. Will the Sanavis Group appear under one umbrella at trade fairs and exhibitions in the future? Yes, this will be the case at the larg- er trade fairs, such as the Interna- tional Dental Show [IDS]. However, a joint umbrella does not mean that the name Sanavis will be at the fore. MICRO-MEGA and SciCan will con- tinue to form the backbone of the trade fair presence. However, the brands will exhibit at a joint booth. Which products will be in focus during the IDS and what innova- tions can we expect? We have already strengthened our development efforts and look for- ward to being able to present a large number of new products. These new developments include a new, rapid sterilizer and advanced thermal dis- infectors. We will also present new root-canal fillers. In the field of drive systems, visi- tors will be able to see a whole range of innovations, such as new micro- motors, handpieces and contra- angle handpieces, as well as motors with an innovative ergonomic design. I believe that never before have we been able to present such an explosion of innovations! DT Industry Interview DENTAL TRIBUNE | March 201110A Dr. Martin Rickert (Photos/Provided by Sanavis Group)