Sirona to provide direct sales and service in Australia and New Zealand

Sirona Dental Systems will begin direct distribution of its leading range of dental equipment in Australia and New Zealand from May 2005. For the past 30 years, Sirona (previously Siemens) has been distributed by Halas Dental and Shalfoon Dental respectively.

Sirona Dental Systems Australasia will be headed by newly appointed CEO, Mr Tim Carse, formerly Sirona's Country Manager for Australia. Mr Carse is the son of a dentist, who has recently completed an MBA (with distinction) at the prestigious Australian Graduate School of Management. He has 25-years dental industry experience and is well-known to the local dental community. Prior to working for Sirona, he was equipment sales manager at Halas and before that, he ran an equipment sales division in the UK.

"In line with our desire to provide the best possible support for our customers, Sirona has decided to move to a direct distribution model in Australia and New Zealand," Mr Carse said. "Sirona Australasia will provide manufacturer know-how for all sales and after-sales service activities, thereby bringing Sirona closer to our customers.

"It's an exciting time for us and I look forward to building on the already excellent relationship we have with our clients by providing a very focussed equipment supply and technical support service.

Sirona is continuing to drive the leading edge of contemporary dentistry with products such as the newly released Orthophos XG OPG and the groundbreaking CEREC CAD/CAM system. Innovative products like these require expert advice and outstanding after-sales service. "Our already extensive research and development efforts will also benefit from the feedback gained from closer client contact to continue to deliver innovative products that lead the world."

In related news, Sirona has expanded distribution of its Imaging, Operatory and Instrument products in the United States with the addition of Sullivan-Schein Dental, the US dental division of Henry Schein as an authorised distributor. The agreement does not include the CEREC CAD/CAM system. Previously, all distribution was exclusive to Patterson Dental, which remains the exclusive distributor for CEREC. Henry Schein's relationship with Sirona significantly expanded in 2004 when Henry Schein became the largest distributor of dental products in Europe through its acquisition of Demedis (formerly the dental distribution business of Siemens), which has always been Sirona's largest customer outside of North America.

Sirona has also moved to strengthen its position in China by taking over the HTC Hipwo Group and setting up Sirona Dental Systems Foshan Co Ltd in November. HTC is one of China's three largest suppliers of treatment centres and will be integrated into the newly-founded company. Sirona has had a representative office in China since 1998.

In October, Sirona formed a new subsidiary in Japan to distribute its products in the greater Tokyo area. The company already distributes its CEREC system direct across the country. Sales in the rest of Japan, apart from CEREC, are handled by a local distributor.

Sirona is one of the world's leading manufacturers of dental equipment. The company produces treatment centres, x-ray and intraoral imaging systems, handpieces and hygiene systems as well as dental CAD/CAM systems for use chairside and in dental laboratories. The company has 14 sites throughout the world with its global headquarters in Bensheim, Germany. Sirona has been pioneering innovative products in the dental industry for more than 125 years and currently employs a staff of 1,600. In the 2002/03 business year, Sirona recorded sales of 284 million euros and an EBITDA of 61 million euros.

Halas Dental in Australia and Shalfoon Dental in New Zealand will continue to sell and service all Sirona products until Sirona Australasia takes over these responsibilities mid-year.