SDI builds more than its share price

"Shares in publicly listed dental materials manufacturer, SDI Limited (formerly Southern Dental Industries), have continued their dramatic climb to close at $2.80 (SDI on the ASX) at time of going to press. The shares in the Melbourne-based company, one of the few dental manufacturers in Australia, were steady at $0.65 in October last year.

According to managing director, Jeffrey Cheetham, recent interest in SDI by the stock market was based on the company's strong performances over the last three years, consistently producing record profits and paying fully franked dividends to investors.

"SDI is a real Australian success story," he said. "Over 95% of SDI's production is exported to some 70 countries worldwide and we estimate that we have 2-3% of the total world market in dental restoratives. In some individual markets, our share is as high as 14% (for amalgam in the USA)."

It is the stated intention of the company to increase world market share to 10%.

All research and development, manufacturing, administration and sales and marketing is centred at the company's two acre facility located in Bayswater. With over 150 employees, SDI is one of the area's largest employers and also strongly supports Australian made raw materials and components.

Stage 1 of its building upgrade program has been completed, providing additional manufacturing capacity and expanded facilities for the sales and marketing area. Stage 2, due for completion in late 2002, will accommodate an enlarged research and development division and additional manufacturing capacity.

"When completed, the new research and development facility will be one of Australia's and the world's finest with several new and revolutionary research projects well advanced," Mr Cheetham said. "New products are where we see the opportunity for the greatest amount of incremental growth in new markets and our recently released Pola Tooth Whitening system is proof of this. It has been very successful with excellent market penetration into important countries such as the USA and the EU, as well as Australia of course."

Internationally, SDI employs over 50 sales and related staff in 12 countries. The company has full inventory centres in the USA, Germany and Brazil which distribute finished products to surrounding countries.