Coltene

Coltene, also referred to as COLTENE Holding AG and Coltène/Whaledent, is an internationally active Swiss dental company headquartered in Altstätten. Its business focuses on developing, manufacturing and distributing dental consumables and small equipment for dental care. The company’s product range includes impression and filling materials, products for root canal treatment, patient safety and hygiene products, and diamond and carbide burs. The brand’s corporate history is connected to Gurit-Heberlein AG, a Swiss company founded in 1835. Gurit-Heberlein entered the dental sector in 1967 through its acquisition of the dental-products business Coltène. In 1990, Coltène joined with US company Whaledent Inc.; the resulting business became part of Gurit-Heberlein’s Health Care division. Following a 2005 decision to separate Gurit-Heberlein along divisional lines, the medical and dental business became an independent company under the name Medisize Holding AG and was listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange in 2006. In 2008, the company chose to sell its medical business and concentrate on dental products. It changed its name to Coltène Holding AG in April 2008 and moved its headquarters from Wattwil to Altstätten the following year. The supplied company history reports that it operates under the name Coltène/Whaledent. No current parent company, owner, executive names or ticker are established by the supplied evidence.

Coltene’s corporate roots in dentistry trace to the Coltène dental-products business, which Gurit-Heberlein AG acquired in 1967 as part of its diversification into new business areas. Gurit-Heberlein had been founded in 1835 and had previously focused mainly on textile finishing, synthetic fibres and textile machinery. In 1990, Coltène joined with the US company Whaledent Inc. The combined business became part of Gurit-Heberlein’s Health Care division. In 2005, Gurit-Heberlein’s board decided to divide the group into two independent companies along its existing divisional structure. The medical and dental business was separated as Medisize Holding AG. That independent company was listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange on 23 June 2006. At the end of February 2008, Medisize decided to sell its entire medical business and focus exclusively on dentistry. In April 2008, it changed its name to Coltène Holding AG. The company moved its headquarters from Wattwil to Altstätten in 2009; the supplied account identifies Altstätten as its current headquarters and says it operates under the name Coltène/Whaledent. Coltene’s described business is the development, manufacture and distribution of dental consumables and small equipment. Its portfolio includes impression and filling materials, products for root canal treatment, patient safety and hygiene products, and diamond and carbide burs. The supplied account states that the company had 1,400 employees and generated CHF 273.8 million in revenue in 2019. These figures are historical and do not establish current staffing or financial performance.

• 2019

  Reported historical workforce and revenue

• 2009

  Headquarters moved to Altstätten

• 2008

  Refocus on dentistry and rename

• 2006

  Medisize Holding AG listed

• 2005

  Decision to separate the medical and dental business

• 1990

  Coltène combines with Whaledent

• 1967

  Gurit-Heberlein enters dentistry

• 1835

  Gurit-Heberlein AG founded

An internationally active Swiss dental company focused on dental consumables and small equipment.

• Dental impression materials

  Materials used for dental impressions.

• Dental filling materials

  Materials used for dental fillings.

• Root canal treatment products

  Products for root canal treatment.

• Patient safety and hygiene products

  Products intended for patient safety and hygiene in dental care.

• Diamond and carbide burs

  Dental burs made with diamond or carbide.

1. 1Coltene Holdingde.wikipedia.org
2. 2Wikidata: Coltenewikidata.org
3. 3Coltene official websitecoltene.com