January 8, 2005
Henry Schein and Sirona Dental Systems Expand Strategic Distribution
Relationship into the United States
By Flap

URL: Henry Schein and Sirona Dental Systems Expand Strategic
Distribution Relationship into the United States
Henry Schein and Sirona Dental Systems Expand Strategic Distribution
Relationship into the United States

By Flap

Henry Schein and Sirona Dental Systems Expand Strategic Distribution
Relationship into the United States

MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2005--

Agreement with Sullivan-Schein Dental Covers Imaging, Operatory and
Handpiece Products

Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the largest distributor of
healthcare products and services in the combined North American and
European markets, and Sirona Dental Systems GmbH, one of the leading
manufacturers of integrated dental equipment, today announced an
expansion of their worldwide relationship. Effective January 10, 2005,
Sullivan-Schein Dental, the U.S. Dental division of Henry Schein, will
be an authorized dealer of Sirona's full line of imaging, operatory
and handpiece products in the United States.

Sirona's high-end products command a significant share of the market
within the dental industry, and the company manufactures products
within two of the fastest growing dental categories in the United
States - digital radiography and electric handpieces. Henry Schein's
relationship with Sirona significantly expanded when Henry Schein
became the largest distributor of dental products in Europe through
its 2004 acquisition of demedis, which has always been Sirona's
largest customer outside of North America.

"We are delighted to offer Sirona's integrated dental equipment to our
customers in the United States as well as throughout Europe," said
Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Henry Schein. "By combining Sirona's strong brand name and
technologically advanced products with Sullivan-Schein's marketing
expertise and broad dental customer base, we have an opportunity to
jointly capitalize on the valuable growth opportunities within the
U.S. dental equipment market."

"Henry Schein is currently the largest distributor of Sirona Dental
Systems products outside of the United States, and we are excited
about the expansion of this relationship," said Jost Fischer, Chief
Executive Officer of Sirona Dental Systems. "Given the tremendous
growth that Sullivan-Schein Dental has experienced in its U.S. dental
equipment sales over the past several years, we are confident that the
company has the marketing experience necessary to help Sirona capture
a significant share of this market. We expect that the expansion of
this relationship into the U.S. market will strengthen the global
position of both companies."

Henry Schein added that its new agreement with Sirona does not include
Sirona's CAD/CAM restoration equipment. Henry Schein expects to
distribute an alternative CAD/CAM-based restoration product in 2005.

About Sirona Dental Systems

Recognized today as one of the world's leading manufacturers of high
quality dental equipment and technologies, Sirona (formerly Siemens
Dental Systems) has served equipment dealers and dentists worldwide
for more than 125 years. Sirona manufactures a complete line of dental
products, including the CEREC CAD/CAM restoration equipment, digital
and film-based intraoral, panoramic and cephalometric X-ray imaging
systems, dental treatment centers and instruments. Sirona is committed
to creating and supporting the most advanced dental technologies in
the marketplace.

Sirona's worldwide headquarters is located in Bensheim, Germany, with
U.S. headquarters in Charlotte, N.C. For more information on the
company, visit the Sirona Web site at www.sirona.com.

About Henry Schein, Inc.

Henry Schein, a Fortune 500(R) company, is recognized for its
excellent customer service and highly competitive prices. The
Company's four business groups--Dental, Medical, International and
Technology--serve more than 450,000 customers worldwide, including
dental practices and laboratories, physician practices and veterinary
clinics, as well as government and other institutions. The Company's
sales reached a record $3.4 billion in 2003.

The Company operates through a centralized and automated distribution
network, which provides customers in more than 125 countries with a
comprehensive selection of over 90,000 national and Henry Schein
private-brand products.

Henry Schein also offers a wide range of innovative value-added
practice solutions, including such leading practice management
software systems as DENTRIX(R) and Easy Dental(R) for dental
practices, and AVImark(R) for veterinary clinics, which are installed
in over 50,000 practices; and ArubA(R), Henry Schein's electronic
catalog and ordering system.

Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein employs nearly 10,000
people in 17 countries. For more information, visit the Henry Schein
Web site at www.henryschein.com.

* Link


Source Blog
Posted on: Sat, Jan 8 2005 7:23 AM