30 years of VOCO in Cuxhaven

Often, the history of successful companies is the stuff of legends. Sometimes it’s enough to imply that it all began in somebody’s garage. And of course the meteoric rise and huge commercial success is never down to luck, but instead it’s the result of sophisticated strategies and the decisiveness of visionary activists. Occasionally the myths even turn out to be true.

The IDS year 2011 is a particularly special year for VOCO. Thirty years ago, the dental equipment manufacturer was set up by Manfred Plaumann as a small family business in Cuxhaven, initially supplying a limited range of products to dental practices and laboratories. As the years passed, this was to change – thanks to on-going investment in research and development, not to mention steadily increasing sales. With the expansion of research and manufacturing activities and a growing number of employees, the company premises soon became cramped. In 1992, the business moved into new purpose-built facilities. Following two extensions – in 1997 and 2005 – these now cover an area of 22,000 square metres.

More than 600 employees in Germany and abroad

Further impressive figures underpin the company’s steady record of growth. These days, for instance, VOCO employs some 300 people in Germany, 250 of them at its headquarters in Cuxhaven. These are supplemented by some 320 sales representatives abroad. VOCO operates a representation office in Shanghai and there are VOCO branches in the USA, Canada, Brazil and Australia. The company’s penetration of new markets has boosted sales considerably. In addition to Germany and the rest of Europe, the core markets for VOCO products these days include the USA and Canada.

VOCO products: an international success

VOCO supplies dentists around the world with high quality dental materials and is currently regarded as one of the world's leading manufacturers within the sector. Based in Lower Saxony, the family business – with its comprehensive portfolio of more than 100 products – supplies dental practices and dental laboratories in over 120 countries with medicinal products and medical devices “made in Germany” for prophylactic, restorative, and prosthetic dentistry. VOCO is a company with a pronounced international focus. Exports make up 75 percent of total sales. The company’s presence at more than 200 exhibitions and conferences around the world is a logical extension.

Certified quality “made in Germany”

All VOCO preparations are developed, manufactured and assembled at company headquarters in Cuxhaven. Back in 1994, VOCO was one of the first German dental equipment manufacturers to establish a certified quality management system. All stages in the development and manufacturing process are subject to strict monitoring. VOCO is thus able to guarantee consistently high standards of both safety and quality. VOCO is certified according to EN ISO 9001, EN ISO 13485 and MDD 93/42 EEC - Annex II and also complies with Germany’s Medicines Act and US FDA legislation.

Global cooperation with universities and institutes

The wide range of high quality products covering a whole spectrum of different dental indications is the result of intensive research and development, sometimes lasting several years. At VOCO, such work has always been a priority and frequently takes place in cooperation with external partners. The company nurtures close links with over 150 universities and other prestigious research institutes around the world. Together, they test VOCO products for safety and performance. The results of these tests, not to mention discussions with colleagues from leading university and institute dental research units about new treatment concepts and the associated material systems, provide the VOCO research team with crucial findings concerning the development of innovative dental products.

Research cooperation with BMBF projects

The expertise of VOCO scientists is appreciated at the highest level. VOCO has, for instance, already played a leading role in several dental research projects conducted by the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF – Federal Ministry of Education and Research). Other partners involved in these projects included the Fraunhofer Institut für Silicatforschung ISC (Würzburg), the Institut für Biomedizinische Technik at Rostock University and the Medizinische Hochschule in Hanover. New material systems and innovative products were the result – thanks to VOCO’s own research expertise and its close cooperation with high-powered partners. With these partners, VOCO has already set several new standards for the development of modern dental preparations.

Product development milestones

When it comes to product innovation, VOCO has always been one of the pioneers of the dental sector. Take Admira, for instance, the first Ormocer®-based filling system. In addition to its strength and appearance, Admira is characterised by an extremely high degree of biocompatibility. In 2003, VOCO launched Grandio®, the world’s first ever nano hybrid composite. Thanks to its excellent material and processing properties, Grandio® has quickly become one of the most successful universal filling materials on the international market. VOCO went on to reassert its innovative dominance with Grandio®SO, which was released in 2010. Grandio®SO is a universal nano hybrid composite which, owing to the sum of its physical parameters, is generally regarded as one of the most toothlike composites on the market. VOCO has also taken a consistently ground-breaking approach to packaging concepts and application technology. Patented special designs, such as the practical SingleDose blister or the non-dripping NDT® syringe, enable the preparations to be applied in a particularly simple, efficient and hygienic manner.

Fostering young scientists

VOCO maintains close contact with external research in other ways as well. For nine years, for instance, the dental manufacturer has held its VOCO Dental Challenge research contest. The intention is to foster and motivate young scientists involved in dental work. VOCO thus plays a role in maintaining the research environment in Germany, while simultaneously acquiring valuable suggestions as to the improvement and development of products. The VOCO Dental Challenge therefore occupies a central position when it comes to investing in the future of the company.

Looking forward

In future, VOCO will be intensifying its focus on the development and marketing of innovative dental materials. As the workforce grows, so does the product portfolio of this medium-sized family-owned company. Every year, VOCO launches new products. Often these include products for special indications, designed with the particular needs of dentists in mind, which are seen as “problem solvers”. In addition to their excellent material and processing properties, it is this aspect in particular which explains the success of VOCO. “VOCO is a brand name which is associated the world over with top quality products. Dentists around the globe request our products, because they know that we supply high quality products at a fair price,” comments managing director Olaf Sauerbier, responsible for sales and marketing. And the managing director responsible for research and development, Manfred Thomas Plaumann, adds, “As dentalists – that is specialists in dental materials – we at VOCO will continue to focus on innovation, expertise and customer proximity in future – for the next chapter in this ‘Made in Germany’ success story.”

Dr. Olaf Krems, VOCO GmbH – Public Relations

Tel.: +49 (0) 4721 719 187, E-mail: o.krems@voco.de