Nobel’s Fastest-Growing Markets

Nobel Biocare Holding AG, the world’s biggest maker of false teeth and crowns, said sales are growing “much stronger than 20 percent'” in India and China, helping make Asia the company’s fastest-growing region.

Greater affluence and aging populations in the world’s two most populous nations are spurring sales in Asia, which accounted for about 15 percent of revenue last year, Chief Executive Officer Domenico Scala told reporters in Singapore today.

“You have now a middle class in India of 200 million people. There’s no Western European country that has 200 million middle-class people,” Scala said. “These are huge markets.”

Revenue in Asia, where more than 250 million people are toothless, expanded 10 times faster than in the U.S. last year and twice as fast as in Europe, Scala said. In April, Glattbrugg, Switzerland-based Nobel Biocare cut its 2008 sales target by about half, citing a weak economy. The company also said it would grow slower than the market average of about 8 percent this year and expected a difficult second quarter.

Growth in the U.S. is being hampered by a slowdown in the economy and the lack of available credit for consumers to spend on elective health procedures, Scala said.

Scala expects sales growth to be “somewhat slower” than 30 percent in Asia as a whole this year and between 15 and 20 percent “for quite some years.”

Nobel Biocare plans to introduce a narrower false tooth next year, designed to fit better in Asian jaws. A single tooth restoration costs between $1,000 and $1,500, Scala said. A full mouth of new teeth could cost as much as $70,000.

The Swiss company agreed to buy Implant Maker, its distributor in Taiwan, for an undisclosed price, Nobel Biocare said in an e-mailed statement today. Scala declined to comment on whether the company will make further acquisitions in the next 12 months. He said Nobel Biocare hasn’t been approached as a takeover target itself.

Source: Bloomberg

7 Comments on Nobel’s Fastest-Growing Markets

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bill withers

12/4/2008

We all know that Nobel Biocare ceased to be a company that bases its offer solutions in science, says the market that Nobel Biocare is the Ferrari of implants, but wonder what next, when you buy a ferrari will cost $ 250,000 = Anywhere in the world, then it becomes distorted because the Ferrari when it offered at half price, as in Latin America? This is a business and business must understand that companies must sell products susu, then knowing how to sell products Nobel Biocare in certain markets we realize that European countries subsidize the price of products sold in Latin America, for example , An implant in Europe Nobel ctive sell it to U.S. $ 400, and in countries like Colombia as a gift to U.S. $ 180, that is the price of the Ferrari that used in Europe. Think about this, because we pay more for the same ?????????

bill withers

12/4/2008

We all know that Nobel Biocare ceased to be a company that bases its offer solutions in science, says the market that Nobel Biocare is the Ferrari of implants, but wonder what next, when you buy a ferrari will cost $ 250,000 = Anywhere in the world, then it becomes distorted because the Ferrari when it offered at half price, as in Latin America? This is a business and business must understand that companies must sell products , then knowing how to sell products Nobel Biocare in certain markets we realize that European countries subsidize the price of products sold in Latin America, for example , An implant in Europe Nobel ctive sell it to U.S. $ 400, and in countries like Colombia as a gift to U.S. $ 180, that is the price of the Ferrari that used in Europe. Think about this, because we pay more for the same ?????????

Ruumi Daruwalla

12/5/2008

I agree with Bill Withers. In India, Nobel is LOSING money. This is not what Scala is telling anyone. In all, Nobel has blown away more than US$ 12-15 million in the past 2-3 years. Currently they are very aggressively BUYING key opinion leaders paying huge amounts to them. Scala is a fool to compare india's 200 million middle class to europe or usa middle class. No wonder Nobel is losing money. India's middle class average monthly salary is about US$ 200-500, compared to average monthly salary of over US$ 3,500 in usa or europe. How does Scala expect to sell to India's middle class unless prices will be much much lower to which levels Nobel can never reach. In India, Nobel sells their implant WITH a separate abutment for US$ 180. In India, they also bribe all the Deans, Professors of Universities and important office bearers of various dental councils and associations who by force then make management of universities and students buy Nobel products. These policies are totally immoral and I hope Scala takes action against by removing his indian employees who are indulging in it. Being an USA company they can be in serious government problems for fraudulent practices. A few years ago Boston Scientific employees in India sold Interventional Cardiology products such as Stents in the same manner and after investigation, the company had to sack all their employees and were closed down for a considerable length of time.

Dr ABC

12/8/2008

In India even "talking against Nobel Bio care" is full of risks as a dentist found out to his misfortune. You won't believe to what extent they can go. Any thing the dentist would tell you will sound more of fiction from a racy novel, than fact. Every one is "purchased" by Nobel Biocare in an otherwise already a corruptible country. It was an embarrassing moment when the Chief of the Dental council inaugurates their functions and sings peans for them. The All India Dental Associations President and Secretary dancing to their tunes. Believe me that in India Noble Biocare is the first and to my knowledge the only shamelessly and ruthlessly corrupt company.You are all invited for taking a personal glimpse first hand. You can call up any friend in India who is a dental professional and cross check for yourself. They have openly and shamelessly broken every rule in the ethics of medicine and ethics of business.A sad occasion for Indian dentistry.Indian dentistry being destroyed the same way some American MNCs destroyed some poor countries.I thought that American companies have higher ethical standards. I second whole heartedly the opinion given by Mr Rummi Daruwala. It's the God's truth. May I drop dead if I lie.

Albert Hall

12/9/2008

Fastest growing Markets????....just imagine the rest Markets... Typical companies based on CEO interests as the new Keystonedental Company....they task is to work hard 3 or 5 years and then they cash out the shares...

bill withers

12/10/2008

That same situaiÃ³n quoting Dr Rummi in India is going on in several Latin American countries, where Nobel Biocare subsidiary and has corrupted the market with negotiations with some discount and some gifts vulgar, as it gives the luxury of selling $ 20,000 = and obsequian = $ 15,000, that that Nobel Biocare is a company that susu offer products based on the evidence is just one of the big lies val want us to believe, is that many dentists have stopped consuming products by Nobel Biocare major administrative problems they face in the accounts and payments, in addition, they have bought from opinion leaders to talk of Nobel Biocare only at some universities, this is called fraud and bribery.

Baz

4/20/2009

Hello All, I am thinking of going to India and will probably need multiple implants. I have read so much scary stuff here about Nobel Biocare that I am more than a little concerned about the safety of their implants, the training they give to dentists and the very dodgy way they seem to do things. It seems like most places in India use Nobel implants - would I be be better off avoiding them completely and seek a dentist who uses another brand of implants? If so, which brands should I be looking at as safe, tried and tested and how do I find a dentist that has not been "influenced" by the Nobel Biocare approach? They certainly have very slick marketing it seems! Ideally I would like immediate load implants but I will probably take best advice given to me if need be than risk complications later! I welcome any help or input! Baz!