Amann Girrbach Welcomes New Investor
Inside Dental Technology delivers updates on digital workflows, materials, lab techniques, and innovation in dental technology through expert articles and videos.
December 1, 2010
Volume 1, Issue 2, Nov/Dec 2010
Page(s):
TA Associates, a leading growth private equity firm, has signed a definitive agreement to invest in Amann Girrbach AG. Terms of the investment were not disclosed. In this transaction, Amann Girrbach’s current owners will sell a portion of their stake and Alpine Equity, formerly Hypo Equity, will also sell its stake in the company. “We are pleased to welcome TA Associates as an investor in Amann Girrbach,” said Marco Ratz, who serves as the new chief executive officer at Amann Girrbach and was previously the company’s head of sales and marketing. “TA’s investment will provide additional opportunities to break ground in digital dentistry and maximize our potential for continued growth. Through research and development, and global expansion, we will be able to maintain our leading role in the dental industry.”
With approximately 220 employees, Amann Girrbach has developed significantly in recent years and now exports precision systems and consumables for dental laboratories to more than 70 countries. “Amann Girrbach has had many years of success, and there is significant potential for further growth through international expansion and the development of new digital products,” said Birker Bahnsen, a vice president at TA Associates, who will join the company’s Board of Directors. “We look forward to working closely with the management team.”
With the introduction of the Ceramill Digital CAD/CAM technology, Amann Girrbach has been having a major impact on the dental industry. An increasing number of dental laboratories are converting to CAD/CAM technology, which offers substantial cost benefits due to lower labor costs. The market has the potential to grow 15% to 20% per year, compared to the conventional dental market that is growing at 7% annually. “Amann Girrbach has been a true pioneer, developing one of the most economically efficient systems on the market,” said Jonathan Meeks, a managing director at TA Associates, who will also join the company’s Board of Directors. “The company will benefit greatly from its CAD/CAM products, given that use of these applications is expected to double in the next 5 to 10 years.”
